Dynamic hyperinflation is a phenomenon that occurs when a new breath begins before the lung has reached the static equilibrium volume. In simpler terms, this means that a new breath starts before the usual amount of air has been breathed out, leading to a build-up of air in the lungs, and causing breathing in and out to take place when the lung is nearly full.

Asthma

Dynamic hyperinflation can occur in patients with

asthma Asthma is a common long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wh ...

who are breathing spontaneously. It is a physiologic response to airflow obstruction and exists, to an extent, because increasing lung volume tends to increase airway caliber and can reduce the resistive work of breathing. However, in patients with severe asthma it becomes maladaptive, occurring at the expense of increased mechanical load and elastic work of breathing. Dynamic hyperinflation can cause alveolar overdistention resulting in hypoxemia, hypotension, or alveolar rupture. Dynamic hyperinflation increases the magnitude of the drop in airway pressure that the patient must generate to trigger a breath, thereby increasing the patient's workload.

Status asthmaticus

Patients with

acute severe asthma Acute severe asthma, also known as status asthmaticus, is an acute exacerbation of asthma that does not respond to standard treatments of bronchodilators (inhalers) and corticosteroids. Asthma is caused by multiple genes, some having protective e ...

exacerbations are at risk for progressive air trapping and alveolar hyperinflation, which may lead to alveolar rupture and hemodynamic compromise. Airflow obstruction during expiration slows lung emptying and inspiration may be initiated before exhalation is complete. The phenomenon that occurs when a new breath begins before the lung has reached the static equilibrium volume is called dynamic hyperinflation.

Interventions

Interventions to correct air-trapping include decreasing the respiratory rate (increasing expiratory time), increasing inspiratory flow rates (decreasing the inspiratory time) and lowering the

tidal volume Tidal is the adjectival form of tide. Tidal may also refer to: * ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple * Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim * TidalCycles TidalCycles (also known as Tidal) is a live coding ...

Adults

In adults, it has been demonstrated that limiting minute ventilation is the key to avoiding dynamic hyperinflation; keeping the minute ventilation under 115/mL/kg is recommended

References

{{reflist Respiratory therapy Mechanical ventilation Asthma