It is an important parameter in respiratory medicine due to its relationship with blood carbon dioxide levels.

One must also take care to consider the effect of dead space on alveolar ventilation, as seen below in "Relationship to other physiological rates".

Blood carbon dioxide (PaCO2) levels generally vary inversely with minute volume.

[citation needed] For example, a person with increased minute volume (e.g. due to hyperventilation) should demonstrate a lower blood carbon dioxide level.

The healthy human body will alter minute volume in an attempt to maintain physiologic homeostasis.

Riding a bicycle increases minute ventilation by a factor of 2 to 4 depending on the level of exercise involved.