title: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: clinical integrative physiology.
abstract: Peripheral airway dysfunction, inhomogeneous ventilation distribution, gas trapping, and impaired pulmonary gas exchange are variably present in all stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This article provides a cogent physiologic explanation for the relentless progression of activity-related dyspnea and exercise intolerance that all too commonly characterizes COPD. The spectrum of physiologic derangements that exist in smokers with mild airway obstruction and a history compatible with COPD is examined. Also explored are the perceptual and physiologic consequences of progressive erosion of the resting inspiratory capacity. Finally, emerging information on the role of cardiocirculatory impairment in contributing to exercise intolerance in patients with varying degrees of airway obstruction is reviewed.
authors: Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Queen's University, 102 Stuart Street, Kingston, Ontario K7L 2V6, Canada. Electronic address: odonnell@queensu.ca.
authors: Denis E
authors: DE
authors: O'Donnell
authors: Service d'Explorations Fonctionnelles de la Respiration, de l'Exercice et de la Dyspnée Hôpital Universitaire Pitié-Salpêtrière (AP-HP), Laboratoire de Physio-Pathologie Respiratoire, Faculty of Medicine, Pierre et Marie Curie University (Paris VI), 47-83 Boulevard de l'Hôpital,75013 Paris, France.
authors: Pierantonio
authors: P
authors: Laveneziana
authors: Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Queen's University, 102 Stuart Street, Kingston, Ontario K7L 2V6, Canada.
authors: Katherine
authors: K
authors: Webb
authors: Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Queen's University, 102 Stuart Street, Kingston, Ontario K7L 2V6, Canada.
authors: J Alberto
authors: JA
authors: Neder
mesh_terms: D004417:Dyspnea / Q000503:physiopathology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Cardiac output; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Dyspnea; Exercise; Lung mechanics; Small airways