THE MECHANICS OF BREATHING IN DIFFERENT BODY POSITIONS. II. IN CARDIOPULMONARY DISEASE

Abstract

The mechanics of breathing were evaluated in 12 patients with chronic pulmonary emphysema and 11 patients with various cardiopulmonary diseases in the supine, sitting, prone, right and left lateral, and head down positions. In both patient groups expiratory resistance was considerably higher than inspiratory resistance, and the resistance values were considerably higher than in normal subjects. Compliance dropped with an increase in respiratory rate. Both patient groups showed essentially the same positional changes as the previously studied normal subjects; i.e., compliance was lowest in the supine position and highest in the sitting position, while mechanical resistance was lowest in the sitting and highest in the supine position. Results of the other positions were in between, the prone position being near the sitting, while both lateral and the head down positions were nearer the supine.