clinical scenario wheasy peasy

Question 1

what is the main function of the respiratory system?

Answer 1

1. ventilation- moving air into and out of the lungs
2. exchanging oxygen in the inhaled air with carbon dioxide in the blood passing through the pulmonary capillaries

Question 2

what happens within the first couple centimeters in the nasal passages?

Answer 2

air is warmed to approach body temperature, humidified (i.e., water vapor is added to the inspired air), and dust and other inhaled particles are removed as the air interacts with the moist surface of the nasal turbinates

Question 3

where is the pharyngeal reagion situated?

Answer 3

part of the upper respiratory tract that blends the with the caudal aspect of the oral cavity.

Question 4

describe the parts of the larynx that are important for ventilation

Answer 4

affect the valve-like opening between the larynx and the pharynx.

Question 5

what is the glottis/rima glottis?

Answer 5

space between the paired vocal cords and the arytenoid cartilages at the dorsal aspect of the junction between the pharynx and trachea

Question 6

when does the glottis opening increase?

Answer 6

when the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle that connects the cricoid cartilage to a specific part of the arytenoid cartilages (arytenoid process) is stimulated to contract

Question 7

what happens when the arytenoids rotate due to the opening of the glottis

Answer 7

pulls the vocal cords away from each other

Question 8

what happens when the oblique and transverse arytenoid muscles are stimulated to contract?

Answer 8

rotates the arytenoids in a way that pulls the vocal cords towards each other

Question 9

what happens to your vocal cords when you breathe deeply?

Answer 9

they separate, increasing the size of the glottis and facilitating the movement of air through the larynx and into the trachea

Question 10

what is phonation?

Answer 10

when the vocal folds move closer together and vibrate to generate the appropriate noises when you speak

Question 11

which laryngeal cartilages act as a “trap door”?

Answer 11

epiglottis

Question 12

what happens to the epiglottis when you swallow fluids or food?

Answer 12

it raises up to prevent their entry into the trachea

Question 13

what is the function of the trachea, main and lobe bronchi, and bronchioles?

Answer 13

only serve as conduits for delivering air to alveoli where the exchange of oxygen and CO2 finally occurs

Question 14

where does the vena cava pass in the diaphragm?

Answer 14

tendinous portion

Question 15

openings in what portion of the diaphragm serves the esophagus and aorta?

Answer 15

muscular

Question 16

what is the diaphragm innervated by and where does it arise from?

Answer 16

phrenic nerve, arises from the 3rd-5th segments of the cervical spinal cord

Question 17

why do injuries to the cervical vertebrae leave a patient unable to breathe?

Answer 17

the intercostal muscles are innervated by nerves from the thoracic and lumbar segments of the spinal cord

Question 18

what is the purpose of the smooth muscles that surround the lumens of the bronchioles?

Answer 18

reduces the diameter of the bronchioles since they lack cartilage

Question 19

what is the main driving force of the act of breathing?

Answer 19

when high CO2 levels in the blood reach the specific regions in the brain stem, receptors that detect blood pH are stimulated by the decrease in pH caused by PCO2 (partial pressure)

Question 20

pH drops when PCO2 __________ and _________ when PCO2 decreases

Answer 20

increases

Question 21

what do chemoreceptors in the brain respond to?

Answer 21

increasing PCO2 levels by stimulating the phrenic nerve

Question 22

how does the volume of the thoracic cavity increase?

Answer 22

1. input from the phrenic nerve stimulates the diaphragm contract
2. pulls tendinous dome part down
3. at same time, intercostal muscles are stimulated to contract

Question 23

what is the result of the increase in space between the inner lining of the thoracic cavity and outer surface of the lungs?

Answer 23

increases the negative pressure that normally exists in that space which causes the lungs to expand, drawing air in from the outside, which passes through the nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles and into the alveoli where gas exchange finally occurs

Question 24

what is the result of carbon dioxide building up in your alveoli and isn’t diffusing out of the pulmonary capillaries while you aren’t breathing out?

Answer 24

slower than normal breathing (hypoventilation) resulting in an increase in PCO2 in arterial blood which reduces pH (respiratory acidosis)

Question 25

what is respiratory acidosis?

Answer 25

decrease in pH caused by change in respiratory function

Question 26

describe what happens during hyperventilation

Answer 26

breathing faster than normal, more CO2 leaves body as exhaling resulting in drop in PCO2 in arterial blood, increasing the pH (respiratory alkalosis)

Question 27

The normal elastic recoil of the lungs causes the volume of air in the alveoli to _________, which causes pressure in the alveoli to increase.

Answer 27

decrease

Question 28

what happens when pressure inside the alveoli exceeds atmospheric pressure

Answer 28

it forces air to move from the alveoli up into the bronchioles and eventually out the nares