3. Physiology
        3.13. Respiratory
            3.13.3. Gas carriage
3.13.3.4. Oxygen

Oxygen transport

O2 is carried in blood in two forms:

  1. Dissolved
  2. Bound with haemoglobin

1. O2 dissolved

Dissolved O2 follows Henry's Law
--> Amount dissolved is proportional to partial pressure

For each mmHg of PAO2, dissolved O2
= 0.003 mL of O2 per 100 mL of blood
= 0.03 mL of O2 per L of blood

2. O2 bound to Hb

2.1. O2 capacity

O2 capacity
= Maximum amount of O2 that can be bound to Hb
= 1g of Hb can bind with 1.34mL of O2
= 1.34 x [Hb]

Normal O2 capacity
= 20.1mL of O2 per 100mL of blood
* Assuming [Hb] = 15g/dL
= mL/100mL

O2 capacity
* Does not include dissolved O2
* Does not depend on pO2

NB:

2.2. O2 saturation (Sat)

O2 saturation (%)
= O2 combined with Hb / O2 capacity
= (O2 content - dissolved O2)/O2 capacity

 

NB. West defined O2 capacity as maximum O2 bound to Hb, thus doesn't include dissolved O2.

NB. Nunn includes dissolved O2 in its definition of O2 capacity.

Functional vs Fractional

Functional saturation
= [OxyHb]/([OxyHb]+[DeoxyHb])

Fractional saturation
= [OxyHb]/[Total Hb]

NB:

2.3. O2 concentration  (C)

O2 concentration (mL/dL) 
= 1.34 x [Hb] x Sat + 0.003 x pO2

NB:

Total oxygen content per 100mL

CaO2
= 1.34 x 15 x 0.975 + 0.003 x 100
= 19.5975 + 0.3
= 19.8975 mL O2 per 100mL blood
~ 20 mL/dL

CvO2
= 1.34 x 15 x 0.75 + 0.003 x 40
= 15.075 + 0.12
= 15.195 mL O2 per 100mL blood
~ 15 mL/dL

 



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