FIGURE 2.
Distribution of pressure changes in the pulmonary circulation. A: blood pressure measured in the systemic circulation system including the left ventricle (LV), large artery, small artery, capillary (Cap), and vein and the pulmonary circulation system including the right ventricle (RV), large and small pulmonary artery, lung capillary, and vein. B: distribution of pressure in the lung (in cmH2O) from the arterial side to the capillary and to the venous side (a). The pressure drop in the pulmonary artery accounts for 30 ± 7% of the total pressure drop, whereas the pressure drop in the capillary and vein accounts for 17 ± 3% and 39 ± 13%, respectively. The pressure drop in the artery, capillary, and vein is compared between the pulmonary (b, left) and systemic (b, right) circulation systems. The bar graphs are based on data from Refs. 8–10.