The Ventilatory Response to Hypoxia Below the Carbon Dioxide Threshold

The ventilatory response to acute progressive hypoxia below the carbon dioxide threshold using rebreathing was investigated. Nine subjects rebreathed after 5 min of hyperventilation to lower carbon dioxide stores. The rebreathing bag initially contained enough carbon dioxide to equilibrate alveolar and arterial partial pressures of carbon dioxide to the lowered mixed venous partial pressure (approximately equal to 30 mmHg), and enough oxygen to establish a chosen end-tidal partial pressure (50-70 mmHg), within one circulation time. During rebreathing, end-tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide increased while end-tidal partial pressure of oxygen fell. Ventilation increased linearly with end-tidal carbon dioxide above a mean end-tidal partial pressure threshold of 39 +/- 2.7 mmHg. Below this peripheral-chemoreflex threshold, ventilation did not increase, despite a progressive fall in end-tidal oxygen partial pressure to a mean of 37 +/- 4.1 mmHg. In conclusion, hypoxia does not stimulate ventilation when carbon dioxide is below its peripheral-chemoreflex threshold.