Posted by Ben’s Steam project discusses hypoxic drive in the respiratory system. Hypoxic drive is an adaptation of the body in people who have COPD. COPD is the constriction of the airways. In normal lungs, the body uses a respiratory drive to maintain CO2 levels within the body. The respiratory drive regulates CO2 by adjusting our ventilation to offload excess CO2. Hypoxic drive works in reverse of the respiratory drive in that the body is now focusing on maintaining its oxygen level. This adaptation occurs because people with COPD have a narrowing of the airways and enlargement of the alveoli causing a buildup of CO2. The body adjusts to operating with high amounts of CO2 and starts to breathe based on oxygen levels. Ben created a poster that illustrated a diagram of healthy lungs with a close-up of the bronchiole and alveoli next to some that have deteriorated due to emphysema. I do like that it is informative and presents complicated information in an easily digestible way. Thanks Ben!
