Intrapulmonary Arteriovenous anastomoses (IPAVA) are large diameter pathways with radii at least 5 times the size of pulmonary capillaries. In accordance to Poiseuille's law, resistance to blood flow is inversely proportional to the radius of the blood vessel to the fourth power (R = 1/r4).  Essentially large diameter IPAVA's may offer lower resistance pathways for blood flow, and therefore may prevent excessive rises in pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) during exercise (P=Q/R).  Kovacs et al. 2012 demonstrated pulmonary vascular resistance during exercise increases with age.  This may be possible due to a failure of older individuals to direct blood flow through IPAVA's.  The purpose of this study was to determine if large diameter IPAVA's play a role in pulmonary vascular pressure regulation. We hypothesized that (1) IPAVA blood flow would decrease as age increases and that (2) pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) would increase as IPAVA blood flow (bubble scores) decreased

Intrapulmonary Arteriovenous anastomoses regulate pulmonary vascular pressure during exercise

245th National Meeting (2013)

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