What happens to airway resistance during bronchospasm while using a volume cycled ventilator?

During bronchospasm, the airways undergo constriction, leading to a narrowing of the bronchial passages. This narrowing results in increased airway resistance, meaning that it becomes more difficult for air to flow through the airways.

When using a volume cycled ventilator, the ventilator is programmed to deliver a specific volume of air regardless of the pressures generated within the patient's lungs. If airway resistance increases due to bronchospasm, the ventilator must generate higher pressures to maintain the set tidal volume. This can lead to complications such as decreased ventilation efficiency and potential barotrauma if the pressures become excessively high.

Thus, in the context of a volume cycled ventilator, airway resistance increases during bronchospasm, which is critical to understand for effective management of patients experiencing these conditions.