Final answer:
Respiratory changes affect RV and LV filling velocities reciprocally during the breathing cycle and can be investigated using spirometry and echocardiography. Respiratory changes are important for understanding cardiac function interactions, especially during different phases of respiration.
Step-by-step explanation:
When evaluating the reciprocal respiratory changes in RV and LV filling velocities, we refer to the changes in lung and heart dynamics during the respiratory cycle. During inspiration, right ventricular (RV) filling increases due to the decreased intrathoracic pressure, while left ventricular (LV) filling decreases due to the increased blood volume in the lungs which in turn may compress the LV. Conversely, during expiration, RV filling decreases, and LV filling increases.
Spirometry is a technique used to measure lung volumes, providing data like Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), and different volume capacities such as Functional Residual Capacity (FRC) and Residual Volume (RV). The FEV1/FVC ratio is especially important in diagnosing lung diseases. In obstructive diseases, this ratio is reduced due to increased resistance in the lungs. Different forms of spirometry measurements, including FEV and FVC, are essential for understanding not only lung health but also their interactions with cardiac function during different phases of the respiratory cycle.
The hemodynamics of the heart, such as Stroke Volume (SV), change in response to different respiratory phases due to varying intrathoracic pressures and lung volumes. These changes can be monitored non-invasively via echocardiography.