RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Comparison of Published Pressure Gradient Symbols and Equations in Mechanics of Breathing
JF Respiratory Care
FD American Association for Respiratory Care
SP 1450
OP 1457
VO 51
IS 12
A1 David F Wolfe
A1 Joseph G Sorbello
YR 2006
UL http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/51/12/1450.abstract
AB In the literature of pulmonary medicine we found dismaying diversity of and inconsistency in terms used to describe physiologic pressure gradients. Standardized terms, definitions, symbols, and equations published by the American Physiological Society, the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Thoracic Society, and the American Association for Respiratory Care have not been consistently used. Rather, researchers have often used their own definitions for transpulmonary pressure, transairway pressure, transthoracic pressure, transrespiratory pressure, and transdiaphragmatic pressure. We describe the variety of definitions and equations we found for those terms. We contend that it would benefit researchers, students, clinicians, and educators to define these terms precisely and use them consistently.