Syllabus · Current · V5 (2025) · Respiratory System
C7 · Gas Transport and Diffusion
C7.i · Oxygen Transport
Describe the movement of oxygen from the atmosphere to the cell including detail on oxygen carriage in the blood.
Written examination
SAQ history
Oxygen cascade
2 exam appearances
Describe the oxygen cascade, from the atmosphere to the mitochondrion, in a patient breathing room air.
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Oxygen Transport — O2/CO2 Carriage
2 exam appearances
Compare and contrast the carriage of oxygen in the blood with the carriage of carbon dioxide.
55%
Oxygen Transport — Tissue Delivery
3 exam appearances
Describe the carriage of oxygen in the blood, including total oxygen delivery per minute.
32%
Oral examination
VIVA history
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2022B · Day 2 · VIVA 1
This viva will explore your understanding of Respiratory – oxygen cascade. What is the oxygen cascade? (Image removed from report.)
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2022A · Day 1 · VIVA 7
This viva will explore your understanding of the physiology and pharmacology of oxygen. What is the role of oxygen in the body? How would you calculate the total oxygen content in blood when the haemoglobin oxygen saturation rises from 90% to 95% and the PaO2 rises from 60 mmHg (8 kPa) to 75 mmHg (10 kPa)?
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2022A · Day 2 · VIVA 4
This viva will explore your understanding of the oxygen cascade. Describe the stepwise changes in the partial pressure of oxygen observed in the oxygen cascade.
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2021A · Day 2 · VIVA 5
This viva will explore your knowledge of the physiology of oxygen. Please outline the steps and numerical values of the oxygen cascade. (Image removed from report.)
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2020B · Day 2 · VIVA 6
This viva will explore your knowledge of respiratory physiology and measurement. What is the oxygen content of blood and how is it transported?
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2020B · Day 3 · VIVA 2
This viva will explore your knowledge of oxygen and respiratory physiology. Can you describe the oxygen cascade?
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2018B · Day 1 · VIVA 1
This is the Oxygen Cascade. Please describe the steps. (Image removed from report.)
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2017B · Day 1 · VIVA 5
This viva will test your knowledge of respiratory physiology and the renal handling of sodium. Describe the oxygen cascade – from the atmosphere to the tissues (in a normal healthy adult) using appropriate PO2 values.
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2017B · Day 3 · VIVA 2
This viva is on the role of oxygen in the body. Describe the role of oxygen in the body.
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2017A · Day 2 · VIVA 8
This viva will test your understanding of the oxygen cascade. Describe the oxygen cascade. (Image removed.)
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2015B · VIVA 2
This Viva tested knowledge of respiratory physiology. It explored the understanding of the oxygen cascade and humidity.
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2010B · VIVA 3
This station will explore your knowledge of the physiology associated with the interpretation of Blood Gases and oxygen analysis. How would you interpret this Arterial Oxygen Tension? PaO2 = 24.6 mmHg (3.2 kPa) This viva tested the candidates’ knowledge of hypoxaemia, associated respiratory physiology and oxygen measurement. Specifically measurement of oxygen tension, the alveolar gas equation and physiological responses to hypoxia. Measurement of oxygen tension, in particular the principles behind the Clark electrode, was well done. The area candidates struggled the most was explaining and integrating arterial blood gases and the physiological principles surrounding them.
Sources: objective text from the relevant CICM syllabus; historical SAQ and VIVA wording from CICM examiner reports.