[Pulmonary gas exchange after myocardial infarction in the late period of recovery. II. Investigations during exercise (author's transl)]

After myocardial infarction in the late period of recovery (13-25 months p. infarctum) pulmonary gas exchange in 23 patients was measured besides as hemodynamic parameters during exercise. The parameters take a course similar to that of subjects without lung and heart diseases. Arterial blood gas tensions (Pa02, Paco2) remain unchanged compared to resting values. Alveolar ventilation did show no difference in any of the patients. Minute ventilation VE, the various dead spaces, alveolar-arterial gas differences (AaDo2, aADco2) and ventilation-perfusion ratios of the whole lung VA/Q suggest however that these parameters show different courses according to the physical capacity of the patients. As the physical capacity of each patient is due to different cardiac functions taken by cardiac output and mixed venous blood gas tensions alterations of pulmonary gas exchange seemed to be dependent on the respective left ventricular function of the heart. Of the twenty-three patients, twelve with cardiac failure under exercise showed the most pronounced alterations in pulmonary gas exchange. Therefore, the different physical work capacity of the patients are determined only by cardiac function. No limitation of the productivity due to impeded lung function could be proved.

[Acute necrotizing angitis with eosinophilic myocarditis in bronchial asthma(author's transl)]

In a 34-year-old patient asthma had developed as an allergy to infection. He died suddenly from cardiac and respiratory arrest following parenteral penicillin and sulphonamides. At autopsy necrotizing angiitis of the myocardial vessels as well as eosinophilic myocarditis were shown. These findings are probably the expression of a drug allergy.

[Nomogram for the determination of arterial oxygen partial pressure of man in relation to high altitude and in dependence from age (author's transl)]

If somebody ascends from sea level to higher altitude within a short time, the change of the atmospheric conditions can be a danger for his life. Therefore, a nomogram was constructed which allows to read off the arterial oxygen partial pressures and the corresponding arterial oxygen saturation in relation to altitude. On the basis of the oxygen partial pressure of the atmosphere determined by steps of 500 m from sea level up to an antitude of 10,000 m, we calculated the decrease of the oxygen partial pressure from the inspired air to the arterial blood. When passing our airways, the inspired oxygen partial pressure is dimished by the adaptation to BTPS conditions and by the increasing CO2 partial pressure when approaching the alveolar gas exchanging zone. Another oxygen partial pressure gradient formed by inhomogeneities of ventilation to perfusion, diffusing capacity to perfusion and shunt perfusion is found at the alveolar-arterial barrier. The value of this alveolar-arterial oxygen partial pressure difference is closely correlated to age. With the values of the single steps, the nomogram was constructed. Seven abscissas show the oxygen partial pressure gradients from the inspired air at a distinct altitude to the arterial blood. In relation to a lot of CO2-depending oxygen dissociation curves, it is possible to read off additionally the corresponding arterial oxygen saturation for a person in rest up to an altitude of 10,000 m.