[The adaptive reactions of the cardiorespiratory system in chronic bronchitis and its premorbid forms]

Investigation of pulmonary ventilation, blood flow and cardiodynamics in subjects at risk of chronic nonspecific pulmonary disease (CNPD), prebronchitis (PB) and chronic bronchitis (CB).

118 workers exposed to toxico-chemical factors underwent zonal rheography.

At early stages of CB marked disorders of pulmonary ventilation and blood flow in the lungs were revealed. These disorders in subjects with threatened CNPD were regional and accompanied by a moderate increase in power inputs of the cardiorespiratory system. The maintenance of adequate pulmonary exchange in patients with PB entailed functional tension of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems that contributed to decompensation of adaptive mechanisms and occasionally to development of rheographic signs of pneumosclerosis in the lung zones with damaged ventilation and low perfusion of the pulmonary vessels.

Overloading and decompensation of respiratory and cardial mechanisms of gas exchange regulation in the lungs in response to external damage may lead to development of myocardiodystrophy and pneumosclerosis which appear to be the "price of adaptation".