Chapter 13- Pathophysiology Flashcards
What is perfusion?
The circulation of blood to the tissues in adequate amounts to meet the cells’ needs
It includes delivery of oxygen and removal of toxic waste products.
What are the components of the circulatory system?
Arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, and veins
These components are interconnected tubes through which blood circulates throughout the body.
What are the two circuits in the body?
Systemic circulation and pulmonary circulation
Systemic circulation is between the heart and the body, while pulmonary circulation is between the heart and the lungs.
What does systemic circulation carry?
Oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle through the body and back to the right atrium
It delivers oxygen and nutrients to tissues and organs.
Why is adequate perfusion important?
For the removal of waste products such as carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a by-product of energy production.
What are alveoli?
Microscopic, thin-walled air sacs in the lungs
They receive oxygen-rich air and facilitate the exchange of gases.
How does oxygen enter the bloodstream?
Oxygen diffuses through the walls of the alveoli into the bloodstream and attaches to hemoglobin
Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells.
What is diffusion?
A passive process where molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration
This occurs for oxygen and carbon dioxide across the alveolar walls.
How is carbon dioxide transported back to the lungs?
In three ways: dissolved in plasma, combined with water as bicarbonate, or attached to hemoglobin
Each method plays a role in the removal of carbon dioxide from the blood.
What happens to bicarbonate in the lungs?
It breaks down into carbon dioxide and water, which is then exhaled
This process is essential for the removal of carbon dioxide from the body.
What can result from poor perfusion (shock)?
Impaired transportation of carbon dioxide out of the tissues, leading to a dangerous buildup of waste products
This buildup can damage cells and tissues.
To protect vital organs from hypoperfusion, the body compensates by directing blood flow away from_____ and towards ______.
away from organs that are more tolerant of shock (skin and intestines)
toward organs that cannot tolerate shock (heart, brain, and lungs).
The cardiovascular system consists of three parts:
a pump (the heart)
a set of pipes (the blood vessels)
container (arteries)
contents of the container (blood)
These three parts can be referred to as:
The perfusion triangle
What does it mean when one or more of these three parts are not working properly ?
The patient is in shock
when blood is returned to the lungs from the tissues, there is more CO2 in the blood than in the alveoli, so what does CO2 do?
Diffuses from blood into alveoli, where it is exhaled.
Oxygen diffuses from the ___ to the ______
Carbon dioxide diffuses from ____ to the _____
Oxygen alveoli to the blood
CO2 blood to the alveoli
