What physiological conditions are linked to an increase in PVR values?

Prepare for the Kettering Patient Assessment Test with flashcards and multiple choice questions. Each question includes hints and explanations to enhance your learning experience and boost your exam readiness.

Increased pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) is often associated with conditions that affect the lungs and their vasculature. Hypoxia and lung disease are particularly relevant because both conditions lead to the constriction of pulmonary vessels.

Hypoxia, which is a deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching the tissues, often triggers a compensatory mechanism in the pulmonary vasculature, leading to vasoconstriction. This response is thought to redirect blood flow to better-ventilated areas of the lungs, but it also results in increased resistance. Lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis, or pulmonary hypertension, can lead to structural changes in the pulmonary vasculature, further increasing PVR.

In contrast, other options provided relate to conditions that do not typically affect PVR in the same way. Myocardial infarction and brain injury primarily affect systemic circulation and may not have a direct impact on pulmonary vascular resistance. Hyperventilation is generally associated with decreased PVR due to increased oxygen availability and may not directly lead to resistance changes. Diabetes and kidney failure are systemic conditions with effects on multiple organ systems but are not directly implicated in increased PVR in the same manner as hypoxia and lung disease.

Therefore,

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