| Abstract: | Acute and chronic experiments on dogs have demonstrated the onset of local alveolar hypoxia in disturbed bronchial patency. Alveolar hypoxia caused a rise in the pulmonary vascular resistance. Pulmonary hypertension is predetermined by an increased number of pulmonary zones of hypoxic vasoconstriction due to higher incidence and degree of bronchial obstruction. Despite pulmonary circulation redistribution confirmed by radioactive indicator 99mTc distribution, the perfusion of hypoventilated pulmonary regions is retained leading to venous shunt generation and the reduction of oxygen tension in the arterial animal blood. |
