Work of Breathing

Abstract Work of breathing is defined as the energy spent to move air in and out of the lung during inspiration and expiration, respectively. It comprises the elastic work and the resistive work; their relationship can be demonstrated through the Campbell diagram. The increase in work of breathing can be seen in various comorbidities such as obesity, congestive heart failure, and lung diseases. It can be minimized by altering factors that affect the elastic and resistive work. The practical importance of understanding and calculating the work of breathing in the operating room and more so in the field of intensive care is to optimize the ventilator settings according to the needs of the patient.