A patient who is critically ill and endotracheally intubated is admitted to the ICU for ventilatory management.Which of the following lung conditions explains the patient's having short time constants?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Stiff lungs (low CL) empty quickly because of their high elastic recoil. Thus lungs with low compliance and normal Raw have short time constants. Four to five time constants are still required for complete inflation or deflation, but the absolute time required is less than for a normally compliant lung.

A Patient Who Is Critically Ill and Endotracheally Intubated Is