Author(s)

L. Chiari, G. Avanzolini, G. Gnudi & F. Grand

Abstract

A nonlinear dynamic model of oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange, transport and storage in the adult human is presented, which has satisfactory performances under different physiological conditions. The model includes three compartments related to lungs, tissues and brain, with a respiratory controller that adjusts alveolar ventilation and cardiac output in order to keep gas tensions close to their normal values. The model has been implemented in SIMULINK™, a program for simulating nonlinear dynamic systems and able to facilitate model definition through block diagram manipulation and model analysis by means of a large range of built-in tools. It is shown that both dynamic and steady-state responses to a variety of respiratory forcings, including inhalation of high CO^ (hypercapnia) or low O% (hypoxia) gas mixture

Keywords