Aging of the respiratory system

Seung Hun Lee; Su Jin Yim; Ho Cheol Kim

doi:10.7180/kmj.2016.31.1.11

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Lee, Yim, and Kim: Aging of the respiratory system

Review Article

Kosin Medical Journal 2016;31(1):11-18.

Published online: 4 February 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7180/kmj.2016.31.1.11

Aging of the respiratory system

Seung Hun Lee, Su Jin Yim, Ho Cheol Kim

Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea

Corresponding Author: Ho Cheol Kim, Research Building No.205, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, 79, Gangnam-ro, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 52727, Korea Tel: +82-55-750-8684 Fax: +82-55-750-8618 E-mail: hochkim@gnu.ac.kr

Received 8 January 2016 Revised 8 January 2016 Accepted 11 January 2016

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Changes in the respiratory system caused by aging generally include structural changes in the thoracic cage and lung parenchyma, abnormal findings on lung function tests, ventilation and gas exchange abnormalities, decreased exercise capacity, and reduced respiratory muscle strength. Decreased respiratory system compliance caused by reduced elastic recoil of the lung parenchymaand thoracic cage is related to decreased energy expenditure by the respiratory system. Lung function, as measured by 1-second forced expiratory volume and forced vital capacity (FVC), decreases with age, whereas total lung capacity remains unchanged. FVC decreases because of increased residual volume and diffusion capacity also decreases. Increased physiological dead space and ventilation/perfusion imbalance may reduce blood oxygen levels and increase the alveolar-arterial oxygen difference. More than 20% decrease in diaphragmstrength is thought to beassociated withaging-related muscle atrophy. Ventilation per minute remains unchanged, and blood carbon dioxide concentration does not increase with aging. However, responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia are decreased. Exercise capacity also decreases, and maximum oxygen consumption decreases by >1%/year. Consequence of these changes, many respiratory diseases occur with aging. Thus, it is important to recognize these aging-related respiratory system changes.

Keywords: Key Words, Aging, Respiratory system

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