Thursday 21 January 2016

human biology - How long does it take for blood to travel from the lungs to the fingertips?


I've noticed that a pulse oximeter at my fingertip lags my breathing effort by a noticable amount. I conclude that it takes some time for freshly oxygenated blood to travel from the lungs to the fingertips.


What lag time should I expect? Is there a chart or study which provides an estimate based on heart rate?


Is the lag greater for fingers, or toes? Presumably toes, being further from the heart and lungs, but perhaps the circulatory system has a larger carrying capacity and evens it out for the legs and feet.




No comments:

Post a Comment

evolution - Are there any multicellular forms of life which exist without consuming other forms of life in some manner?

The title is the question. If additional specificity is needed I will add clarification here. Are there any multicellular forms of life whic...