Physiological

change with aging

on lung volume &
capacity
Done by;; saja . H.S 
 Physiological change with
ageing on lung volume &
capacity
• In order for us to understand the lung
volumes & capacity changes with age
we have to revise them in brief so we
can get the idea..
• Lets GOOOOOOOOOOO 
 Lung volumes
1- Tidal volume (VT) is the volume of


air inspired or expired in each

respiratory cycle during normal quiet
breathing i.e. under resting
conditions. It is normally around 1.2L
at age 25 and gradually increases with
age due to loss of lung elasticity. Less
elastic lungs are more distensible and
also have reduced recoil during
expiration. This results in 'air trapping'.
A typical 70-year-old's RV will have
increased to around 1.8L
•
 2- Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV) is
the volume of air which can be
inspired by maximal inspiration after
a normal inspiration.

 Cont..
3- Expiratory reserve volume (ERV) is
the volume of air which can be
expired by maximal expiration after a
normal expiration.
4- Residual volume (RV) is the volume

of air remaining in the lungs after

maximal expiration.
•
 Lung capacities
 Any volume that is a combination of other
volumes is called a “capacity”

1- Inspiratory capacity (IC) is the volume of air



taken by maximal inspiration after a normal

expiration

2- Functional residual capacity (FRC) is the volume



of air remaining in the lung after a normal

expiration.
•
 3- Vital capacity (VC) is the maximal volume of air
exhaled from the point of maximal inhalation or the maximal
volume of air inhaled from a point of maximal exhalation.
 In an average male aged 25 this is around 5L, declining to around 3.9L at
age 65. A similar decline is seen in females, from an average of
around 3.5L at 25 to around 2.8L at 65 . These reductions in VC are
primarily due to the gradual increase in chest wall rigidity and loss of
respiratory muscle strength described above.
 4- Total lung capacity (TLC) is the volume of air contained in the
lungs at the end of maximal inspiration.



Cont..
• 4-Total lung capacity (TLC) is the total
volume of air within the lungs
following a full inspiration. In an
average male it is around 6L and in
an average female around 4.2L. The
TLC does not change significantly
throughout life. It has been
hypothesised that this is because the
reduction in lung elasticity is
counterbalanced by the increased
rigidity of the chest wall.
•
• CHANGE IN Tidal volume through
age :
• in the absence of pathology, does not
change significantly with age. But,
because of increased chest wall
rigidity and reduction in lung elasticity,
it is estimated a 60-year-old will
expend 20% more energy during
normal breathing than a 20-year-old
•
 

Finished with the adults common

changes now we will move on to the
change in
neonatal population..

 HANG ON
 Numbers of alveoli..
• A full term infant, at delivery has
approximately 50 million alveoli.
•
• The number will increase SIX fold
by the age of 8 approximately up
to 300 million alveoli.
•
• relationship between the FRC and body
length of a considerable number of
neonates, infants and toddlers. Let us
start with the neonate and first The
FRC in a healthy neonate who
measures 50 cm from crown to heel is
on average 80 mL. That is the
contents of about ½ a coffee cup.
Lung elasticity , thorax
and age
• The lung and thorax become stiffer
(more elastic) from birth to
adolescence.
• These changes are accompanied by an
absolute and relative increase in
FRC.
• From adolescence to old age the lung
becomes more flaccid.
• As the lung loses elasticity its relaxed
volume increases; this also holds for
the FRC.
• The graph discloses
that the FRC
increases linearly
with body height. In
a 6-year old with a
standing height of
120 cm the FRC
has increased to
about 900 mL.
•THANQ