Abstract
Heart failure increases the resistance to gas transfer across the alveolar-capillary membrane. Disruption of the alveolar anatomical configuration and impairment of cellular pathways involved in the fluid-flux regulation and gas-exchange efficiency (i.e., 'stress failure' of the alveolar-capillary membrane) has been well characterized in different experimental settings of vascular-capillary injury. In heart failure, the appreciation of the pathophysiologic relevance of alveolar stress failure continues to grow. Alveolar-capillary membrane conductance and capillary blood volume are the subcomponents of lung-diffusion capacity. An alveolar-capillary membrane conductance reduction with a trend of capillary blood volume to increase and with consequent impairment of gas exchange, are typical of the heart-failure syndrome. Alveolar-capillary membrane conductance abnormalities have been shown to reflect the underlying lung-tissue damage, to bring an independent prognostic information and to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of exercise limitation and ventilatory abnormalities. This review focuses on the current knowledge on this topic.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 641-648 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Therapy |
Volume | 2 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jul 2005 |
Keywords
- Alveolar-capillary dysfunction
- Capillary blood volume
- DLco
- Heart failue
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pharmacology (medical)