Ch2 Part2 Flashcards
What must be overcome to move air into or out of the lungs?
Factors include inertia of the respiratory system, frictional resistance of lung and chest wall tissue, and frictional resistance of the airways
Inertia of the system is negligible.
What is pulmonary resistance composed of?
Pulmonary tissue resistance and airways resistance
Pulmonary tissue resistance contributes about 20% and airways resistance about 80%.
What conditions can increase pulmonary tissue resistance?
Pulmonary sarcoidosis, silicosis, asbestosis, and fibrosis.
What is the formula relating pressure difference, flow, and resistance?
Pressure difference = flow × resistance
How is resistance defined in terms of airflow?
Resistance = pressure difference (cm H2O) / flow (L/s)
How are resistances in series and parallel added?
Series: Rtot = R1 + R2 +…; Parallel: 1/Rtot = 1/R1 + 1/R2 +…
What governs the behavior of laminar flow in tubes?
Poiseuille’s law.
What is the relationship described by Poiseuille’s law?
ΔP ∝ V˙R1
What factors does resistance depend on according to Poiseuille’s law?
- Viscosity of the fluid
- Length of the tube
- Inversely proportional to the fourth power of the radius of the tube
What happens to resistance if the radius of a tube is cut in half?
Resistance is multiplied by 16.
When does flow change from laminar to turbulent?
When Reynolds’ number exceeds 2000.
What is Reynolds’ number?
Reynolds number = ρ × Ve × D / η
What occurs during turbulent flow?
Pressure difference is proportional to the flow squared.
What is transitional flow?
A mixture of laminar and turbulent flow, often at branch points or distal to partial obstructions.
What percentage of total resistance to airflow is located in the upper airways in a normal adult?
35% to 50%.
How does resistance differ when breathing through the nose versus the mouth?
Resistance is greater when breathing through the nose.
What is the component with the highest individual resistance in the tracheobronchial tree?
The smallest airway.
What controls the smooth muscle of the airways?
Efferent fibers of the autonomic nervous system.
What causes constriction of bronchial smooth muscle?
Stimulation of cholinergic parasympathetic postganglionic fibers.
What mediates dilation of bronchial smooth muscle?
Beta2 (β2) receptors.
What substances can cause reflex constriction of the airways?
- Chemical irritants
- Smoke
- Dust
- Histamine
What happens to airways resistance with increasing lung volume?
Airways resistance decreases.
What is the primary reason for decreased airways resistance at higher lung volumes?
Increased transmural pressure difference across small airways.
What is dynamic compression of airways?
High airways resistance at low lung volumes due to positive intrapleural pressures.
What generates positive intrapleural pressure during forced expiration?
Contraction of the muscles of expiration.
What is the effect of small airway collapse on airways resistance?
It causes airways resistance to appear to be approaching infinity at low lung volumes.
What is the main reason that airways resistance appears to be approaching infinity at low lung volumes?
Small airway collapse
This occurs due to the lack of cartilaginous support and reliance on alveolar septa traction.
What is the transmural pressure gradient across the smallest airways during passive expiration?
+9 cm H2O
Calculated as +1 cm H2O minus (−8) cm H2O.
What is dynamic compression of airways?
Increased resistance during forced expiration
Occurs when the transmural pressure gradient is reduced.
What happens to intrapleural pressure during maximal forced expiration?
It becomes more positive
Leading to increased dynamic compression.
What is the equal pressure point hypothesis?
A point where airway pressure equals outside pressure
At this point, the airway may collapse if insufficient support exists.
What occurs as the equal pressure point moves down the airway during forced expiration?
Dynamic compression increases
Eventually leading to airway closure.