Abstract
Summary
In supine, anesthetized dogs breathing 100% O2 the alveolar-arterial O2 difference is unaltered when ambient pressure is increased from 1 to 2.5 atm. The results can be explained in terms of constant admixture of systemic venous blood with fully oxygenated pulmonary capillary blood. It is likely, but not proven, that previous estimates of arterial O2 pressure at high barometric pressures are too low.
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