Pulmonary physiology is essential for understanding hypoxemia, respiratory failure, oxygenation, V/Q mismatch, and shunt physiology. In this episode, we review ventilation-perfusion relationships, V/Q mismatch, pulmonary shunting, and the key differences between these mechanisms of impaired oxygenation. Topics covered include: • Ventilation and perfusion basics • Normal V/Q relationships in the lung • What V/Q mismatch means • Low V/Q physiology • High V/Q physiology • What pulmonary shunt means • Right-to-left shunt physiology • Intrapulmonary and intracardiac shunts • How V/Q mismatch causes hypoxemia • How shunting causes hypoxemia • Response to supplemental oxygen • A-a gradient and oxygenation assessment • Difference between V/Q mismatch, shunt, and dead space • Common clinical examples • Pneumonia, pulmonary edema, ARDS, atelectasis, COPD, asthma, and pulmonary embolism • Practical application in respiratory failure and critical care Watch the full video on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPrdV99D2qs 📚 Join the WhiteBoard Medicine Patreon Community https://www.patreon.com/WhiteBoardMedicine Join a growing emergency medicine, critical care, and resuscitation education community built around high-yield clinical learning. Patreon members get access to: • Comprehensive Study Guides • Bedside One-Pagers • Clinical Reviews • Mini-Courses • Practice Questions • Ad-Free Videos • Structured Topic Collections 🌐 WhiteBoard Medicine Website Explore our growing library of critical care and emergency medicine content: https://www.whiteboardmedicine.com ⚠️ Educational Disclaimer: This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, specialist consultation, or individualized patient care. Full disclaimer: https://whiteboardmedicine.com/disclaimer

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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