Air Methods Critical Care Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Dynamic compliance is a measure of the lung's ability to expand and contract during ventilation, particularly during active breathing. It is specifically influenced by the factors related to airflow through the airways, which include airway resistance. When airway resistance is high, it becomes more difficult for air to move in and out of the lungs, which reduces dynamic compliance.

In this context, airway resistance directly impacts the flow of air and the efficiency of lung expansion during the respiratory cycle. If the airways are constricted or obstructed, the effort required to ventilate the lungs increases, thus affecting dynamic compliance.

While lung compliance and volume also play roles in respiratory mechanics, dynamic compliance is primarily concerned with how effectively air can move through the respiratory system in conjunction with resistance factors. Therefore, airway resistance is a critical element in understanding and assessing dynamic compliance.