What happens to the physiological dead space in a patient with a pulmonary embolism?
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Correct answer: It increases because some alveoli are ventilated but no longer perfused
Physiological dead space is the sum of anatomical dead space and alveolar dead space. In pulmonary embolism, blood flow to certain alveoli is blocked (perfusion failure), making them alveolar dead space and increasing the total physiological dead space.
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