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Initiating the Breath: The Drive to Breathe, Muscle Pump

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Pulmonary Function Testing

Part of the book series: Respiratory Medicine ((RM))

Abstract

The initiation of a breath is the consequence of the interaction of a complex set of neural inputs to the respiratory centers of the brain and the mechanical properties of the ventilatory pump. Automatic and volitional elements must be considered, as well as behavioral effects resulting from symptoms and psychological factors. A range of pathological conditions may alter different pieces of the respiratory system resulting in changes in respiratory pattern and, in some cases, gas exchange. This chapter will outline the physiology of the key neuromechanical components of the respiratory system responsible for initiation of the breath and review the tests that may be used to assess the system.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Jeremy Richards & Richard M. Schwartzstein

  2. Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    Matthew J. Fogarty & Gary C. Sieck

  3. School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    Matthew J. Fogarty

Authors
  1. Jeremy Richards
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  2. Matthew J. Fogarty
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  3. Gary C. Sieck
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  4. Richard M. Schwartzstein
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Gary C. Sieck or Richard M. Schwartzstein .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA

    David A. Kaminsky

  2. University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA

    Charles G. Irvin

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Richards, J., Fogarty, M.J., Sieck, G.C., Schwartzstein, R.M. (2018). Initiating the Breath: The Drive to Breathe, Muscle Pump. In: Kaminsky, D., Irvin, C. (eds) Pulmonary Function Testing. Respiratory Medicine. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94159-2_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94159-2_8

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-94158-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-94159-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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