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Respiratory airflow patterns that satisfy power and force criteria of optimality

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Abstract

Previous investigations have shown that natural breathing in man takes place at respiratory frequencies closely approximating values satisfying either criteria of minimal power consumption or minimal average muscle force development. In the present work, these two critera are applied to predict optimal airflow patterns for various models of the pulmonary system. The power criterion requires a rectangular intrabreath pattern, whereas for the force criterion either no optimum exists, or a triangular airflow shape is predicted, depending on the particular choice of the pulmonary model. A comparision of these results with experimentally observed pneumotachograms allows one to exclude the force criterion as an optimization principle. The power criterion appears to provide a reasonable prediction of the inspiratory flow pattern in nonresting man, particularly under conditions of higher ventilatory demand.

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Author notes

  1. Urs E. Ruttimann & William S. Yamamoto

    Present address: Department of Clinical Engineering, George Washington University Medical Center, 2300 K Street, N. W., 20037, Washington, D.C.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology and Department of Biomedical Electronic Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Urs E. Ruttimann & William S. Yamamoto

Authors
  1. Urs E. Ruttimann
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  2. William S. Yamamoto
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Additional information

The work was supported by a Grant HE-09284 from the National Heart and Lung Institute, and NIH grant 5T01-GM-00606.

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Ruttimann, U.E., Yamamoto, W.S. Respiratory airflow patterns that satisfy power and force criteria of optimality. Ann Biomed Eng 1, 146–159 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02584204

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02584204

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