Pursed-lip Breathing

Excerpt

Central and peripheral chemoreceptors govern the primary drive for respiration. Central chemoreceptors, located in the anterior medulla of the brainstem, predominantly respond to a decrease in pH caused by the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the cerebrospinal fluid. The blood-brain barrier protects the central nervous system from external stimuli. Still, the lipid-soluble nature of carbon dioxide allows it to diffuse across this barrier, rapidly influencing respiratory drive.