Alveolar ventilation per minute is the total volume of new air entering the alveoli and adjacent gas exchange areas each minute. It is equal to the respiratory rate times the amount of new air that enters these areas with each breath.
Rate of alveolar ventilation can be calculated by following equation:
VA= Freq. × (VT - VD)
Where, VA is the volume of alveolar ventilation per minute, Freq. is the frequency of respiration per minute, VT is the tidal volume, and VD is the physiologic dead space volume.
Thus, with a normal tidal volume of 500 milliliters, a normal dead space of 150 milliliters, and a respiratory rate of 12 breaths per minute.
So, Alveolar ventilation rate = 12 × (500 − 150);
= 4200 ml/min.
Alveolar ventilation is one of the major factors determining the concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the alveoli.
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