Control of Ventilation - Peripheral
Ventilation is mainly controlled by chemoreceptors.
Peripheral Chemoreceptors
- Located in the carotid and the aortic body
- React to large changes in the pO2 in arterial blood leaving the heart
- When pO2 goes down they:
- Increase respiratory rate and tidal volume to bring more oxygen into the lungs
- Direct blood flow to the kidneys and the brain (the organs that are most sensitive to hypoxia)
- Increase Cardiac Output to maintain blood flow
