Chapter 15 - Respiratory System Flashcards
pharynx
The hollow tube inside the neck that starts behind the nose and ends at the top of the trachea (windpipe) and esophagus (the tube that goes to the stomach).
Because of its location behind the nasal cavities and mouth, it functions as part of both the respiratory and digestive systems. Air must pass through the pharynx on its way to the lungs, and food must pass through it on its way to the stomach.
larynx
The area of the throat containing the vocal cords and used for breathing, swallowing, and talking. Also called voice box.
trachea
The airway that leads from the larynx (voice box) to the bronchi (large airways that lead to the lungs). Also called windpipe.
bronchi (singular: bronchus)
either of the two primary divisions of the trachea that lead respectively into the right and the left lung
bronchioles
The tiny branch of air tubes within the lungs that is a continuation of the bronchus
respiratory tract
The organs that are involved in breathing, divided into two parts:
The upper respiratory tract is composed of the nose, pharynx, and larynx.
The lower respiratory tract consists of the trachea, all segments of the bronchial tree, and the lungs.
upper respiratory infection (URI)
A common viral infection that affects the nose, throat, and airways.
Often called the common cold.
lower respiratory infection
Infections in the lungs or below the voice box. These include pneumonia, bronchitis, and tuberculosis. A lower respiratory tract infection can affect the airways, such as with bronchitis, or the air sacs at the end of the airways, as in the case of pneumonia.
respiratory mucosa
the membrane that lines most of the air distribution tubes in the respiratory system
mucociliary escalator
Also called mucociliary clearance (MCC), mucociliary transport, or ciliary escalator.
It is the self-clearing mechanism of the airways in the respiratory system. A cleansing layer of mucus containing inhaled contaminants moves upward to the pharynx from the lower portions of the bronchial tree on the millions of hairlike cilia that beat or move only in one direction.
It is one of the two protective processes for the lungs in removing inhaled particles including pathogens before they can reach the delicate tissue of the lungs. The other clearance mechanism is provided by the cough reflex.
external nares
another name for the nostrils, which are the two external openings of the nasal cavity (the hole, not the nose itself)
sinusitis
Also called a sinus infection.
An inflammation of the paranasal sinuses that can cause them to get blocked and filled with fluid. It is usually caused by cold or allergies. An infection could result from the blockage.
paranasal sinuses
A group of four paired air-filled spaces that surround the nasal cavity:
The maxillary sinuses are located under the eyes
The frontal sinuses are above the eyes
The ethmoidal sinuses are between the eyes
The sphenoidal sinuses are behind the eyes.
(The sinuses are named for the facial bones in which they are located.)
nasal concha (plural: conchae)
also called a nasal turbinate or turbinal
It is a long, narrow, curled shelf of bone that protrudes into the breathing passage of the nose in humans and various animals
In humans, the conchae divide the nasal airway into four groove-like air passages, and are responsible for forcing inhaled air to flow in a steady, regular pattern around the largest possible surface area of nasal mucosa. As a ciliated (possessing cilia) mucous membrane with shallow blood supply, the nasal mucosa cleans and warms the inhaled air in preparation for the lungs.
booger
also called dried nasal mucus
colloquially known as a boogie, bogey, snot, or bogie
Boogers are made up of mucus that has collected particles of dust, pollen, bacteria, and other substances and drained into your nose, where exposure to the air has dried it.
The mucous membranes in the nasal cavity constantly produce a wet mucus that lines the cavity and removes dust and pathogens from the air flowing through. For the most part, the cilia that also line the cavity work to move the mucus down the nasal cavity to the pharynx where it can be swallowed. Not all of the mucus stays fluid enough to be moved by the cilia. The closer the mucus is to being in the nasal vestibule and near the nostril opening, the more moisture it loses to the outside air, and the more likely it is to dry out and become stuck.
nasal vestibule
The area just inside the nostril (nose opening) that leads into the nasal cavity. The nasal vestibule is supported by the cartilage of the nose and lined with tissue that contains small, course hairs.
three portions of the pharynx
(arranged from top to bottom)
The uppermost part of the tube just behind the nasal cavities is called the nasopharynx. The middle portion behind the mouth is called the oropharynx.
The last or lowest segment is called the laryngopharynx.
laryngeal skeleton
a term for the nine pieces of cartilage that structure the larynx
The laryngeal skeleton consists of nine cartilages:
three single (epiglottic, thyroid and cricoid) [3]
and three paired (arytenoid, corniculate, and cuneiform) [6]
(The thyroid cartilage forms the Adam’s apple [also called the laryngeal prominence]. It is usually larger in males than in females.)
vocal cords
Also called vocal folds or voice reeds.
Two short fibrous bands that stretch across the interior of the larynx. They are key to producing speech. Muscles that attach to the larynx cartilages can pull on these cords in such a way that they become tense or relaxed. When they are tense, the voice is high pitched; when they are relaxed, it is low pitched.
glottis
the opening between the vocal cords
epiglottis
A piece of cartilage that partially covers the opening of the larynx. The epiglottis acts like a trapdoor, closing off the larynx during swallowing and preventing food and liquids from entering the trachea.
endotracheal intubation
The placement of a flexible plastic tube into the trachea (windpipe) to maintain an open airway or to serve as a conduit through which to administer certain drugs. It is frequently performed in critically injured, ill, or anesthetized patients to facilitate ventilation of the lungs, including mechanical ventilation, and to prevent the possibility of asphyxiation or airway obstruction.
mechanical ventilation
also called assisted ventilation or intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV)
the medical term for artificial ventilation where mechanical means are used to assist or replace spontaneous breathing
conduit
(1) a natural or artificial channel through which something (such as a fluid) is conveyed
(2) a pipe, tube, or tile for protecting electric wires or cables
(3) a means of transmitting or distributing (e.g. for payments, of information)
tracheostomy
an opening created at the front of the neck so a tube can be inserted into the windpipe (trachea) to help you breathe
organization of the lungs
Recall that one way to picture the thousands of air passages that make up the lungs is to think of an upside-down tree.
The trachea is the main trunk of this tree.
The right bronchus (the tube leading into the right lung) and the left bronchus (thetube leading into the left lung) are the trachea’s first branches, or primary bronchi.
In each lung, they branch into smaller secondary bronchi (singular, bronchus) whose walls, as with those of the trachea and bronchi, are kept open by rings of cartilage for air passage. These bronchi divide into smaller and smaller tubes, ultimately branching into tiny tubes whose walls contain only smooth muscle. These very small passageways are called bronchioles.
The bronchioles subdivide into microscopic tubes called alveolar ducts, which resemble the main stem of a bunch of grapes. Each alveolar duct ends in several alveolar sacs, each of which resembles a cluster of grapes, and the wall of each alveolar sac is made up of numerous alveoli, each of which resembles a single, hollow grape.
respiratory membrane
the structure gasses pass through to move between the alveoli in the lungs and the blood
surfactant (respiratory system)
The surface of the respiratory membrane inside each alveolus is covered by a substance called surfactant. Surfactant helps reduce surface tension or “stickiness” of the watery mucus lining the alveoli—keeping the alveoli from collapsing as air moves in and out during respiration.
infant respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS)
A serious, life-threatening condition that often affects prematurely born infants or those who weigh less than 2.2 kg (5 lb) at birth; it characterized by a lack of surfactant in the alveolar air sacs.
Also called neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS), hyaline membrane disease, respiratory distress syndrome of newborn, or increasingly surfactant deficiency disorder (SDD).
lobe
A division of a body organ (as the brain, lungs, or liver) marked off by a fissure on the surface.
lobes of the lung
There are five lobes in the lungs:
Left lung lobes [2]: superior and inferior
Right lung lobes [3]: superior, middle, and inferior
fissure
(1) a narrow opening or crack of considerable length and depth usually occurring from some breaking or parting
(2) a natural cleft between body parts or in the substance of an organ
(3) a break or slit in tissue usually at the junction of skin and mucous membrane
(4) a separation or disagreement in thought or viewpoint: SCHISM
pneumothorax
It is often called a collapsed lung, although a collapsed lung can also mean atelectasis.
This condition occurs when air leaks into the space between the lungs and chest wall. A blunt or penetrating chest injury, certain medical procedures, or lung disease can cause a pneumothorax.
Symptoms include shortness of breath.
When a pneumothorax is large, a needle or tube is used to remove excess air.
atelectasis
It is often called a collapsed lung, although a collapsed lung can also mean pneumothorax.
It is a complete or partial collapse of the entire lung or area (lobe) of the lung. It occurs when the tiny air sacs (alveoli) within the lung become deflated or possibly filled with alveolar fluid.
respiration
the exchange of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) between a living organism and its environment
pulmonary ventilation
Pulmonary ventilation is another name for breathing. It has two phases:
Inspiration, or inhalation, moves air into the lungs, and expiration, or exhalation, moves air out of the lungs.
external respiration vs internal respiration
External respiration, also known as breathing, involves both bringing air into the lungs (inhalation) and releasing air to the atmosphere (exhalation). During internal respiration, oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged between the cells and blood vessels.
inspiratory muscles
Muscles used in inhaling. They are the diaphragm and external intercostals.
intercostal muscles
The intercostal muscles are two thin layers of muscle fibers occupying each of the intercostal spaces. They are termed external and internal because of their surface relations, the external being superficial to the internal.
phrenic nerve
A nerve that runs from the spinal cord to the diaphragm (the thin muscle below the lungs and heart that separates the chest from the abdomen). It causes the diaphragm to contract and relax, which helps control breathing.
expiratory muscles
Muscles used in exhaling. They are the internal intercostal muscles and abdominal muscle.
intercostal
situated between the ribs
spirometer
A special device used to measure the amount of air exchanged in breathing.
vital capacity (VC)
The largest volume of air that can be moved in and out during breathing.
residual volume (RV)
Air that remains in the respiratory tract after a forceful expiration.
tidal volume (TV)
the amount of air that moves in or out of the lungs with each respiratory cycle
expiratory reserve volume (ERV)
The amount of air that can be forcibly exhaled after expiring the tidal volume.
inspiratory reserve volume (IRV)
The amount of air that can be forcibly inhaled over and above a normal inhalation.
hypoxia
an insufficient oxygen supply to the tissues
respiratory center
(located in the medulla oblongata and pons, in the brainstem)
The respiratory center is responsible for generating and maintaining the rhythm of respiration, and also of adjusting this in homeostatic response to physiological changes.
The two most important control centers in the medulla for regulating breathing rhythm are called the ventral respiratory group (VRG) and the dorsal respiratory group (DRG). The VRG provides the basic rhythm generator for breathing. The DRG adjusts the breathing rhythm when blood pH or carbon dioxide levels change—as they would during exercise.
Several control centers in the pons—the pontine respiratory group (PRG)—seem to provide input to the DRG and thus help modulate the basic rhythm as needed under a variety of changing conditions in the body.
eupnea
normal, good, unlabored breathing
sometimes known as quiet breathing or resting respiratory rate
dyspnea
labored or difficult breathing
apnea
temporary cessation of breathing
respiratory arrest
failure to resume breathing after a prolonged period of apnea
Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR)
A series of cycles of alternating apnea and hyperventilation.
CSR may also occur in critical diseases such as congestive heart failure, brain injuries, or brain tumors. CSR also may occur in the case of a drug overdose.
hyperventilation vs hypoventilation
hyperventilation = rapid, deep respirations; causes decreased carbon dioxide hypoventilation = slow, shallow respirations; causes increased carbon dioxide
sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old
partial pressure
Pressure exerted by any one gas in a mixture of gases or in a liquid; symbol used to designate partial pressure is the capital letter P preceding the chemical symbol for the gas.
maximum oxygen consumption (Vo2max)
A predictor of a person’s capacity to do aerobic exercise.
An individual’s Vo2max represents the amount of oxygen taken up by the lungs, transported to the tissues, and used to do work.
Vo2max is determined largely by hereditary factors, but aerobic (endurance) training can increase it by as much as 35%. Many endurance athletes are now using Vo2max measurements to help them determine and then maintain their peak condition.
(Note: Vo2 is V followed by the chemical symbol for dioxygen, which is basically the oxygen we breathe.)
