Emphysema flash cards

Question 1

What is emphysema?

Answer 1

A chronic lung condition part of COPD. Characterised by the destruction of the alveoli leading to reduced surface area for gas exchange, resulting in difficulty breathing and decreased oxygen supply to the body

Question 2

What is the cause of emphysema?

Answer 2

Often begins with exposure to harmful substances e.g cigarette smoke. When a person smokes, the smoke is inhaled into the lungs and activates parts of the immune system

Question 3

What is the immune response for emphysema?

Answer 3

Neutrophils and macrophages
Neutrophils are the first responders that arrive at the site of inflammation to engulf and destroy harmful substances; Macrophages are larger immune cells that also consume debris and pathogens, they help to initiate further immune response

Question 4

What are neutrophils?

Answer 4

A type of white blood cell and an essential component of the immune system, they play a key role in the body’s defence against infection

Question 5

What do neutrophils do?

Answer 5

secrete various enzymes including proteases which are crucial for immune response as it helps to eliminate pathogens and manage inflammation

Question 6

What does elastase do?

Answer 6

Targets elastin (a protein that provides elasticity to tissues, particularly in the lungs and vessels) By breaking down elastin, it can help to combat infections by breaking down the structural components of pathogens

Question 7

What happens if there is excessive secretion of elastase?

Answer 7

Tissue damage due to the destruction of alveolar walls, impairing lung function and reducing surface area available for gas exchange

Question 8

What is Alpha-1 Antitrypsin?

Answer 8

a protein produced by the liver that serves as a protease inhibitor. It specifically inhibits the action of proteolytic enzymes, particularly neutrophil elastase which is secreted by neutrophils during inflammation

Question 9

What does Alpha-1 Antitrypsin do?

Answer 9

Acts as a protective mechanism to prevent excessive tissue damage caused by neutrophil activity. By inhibiting elastase A1AT helps to maintain the integrity of lung tissue and other organs

Question 10

How does Alpha-1 antitrypsin work?

Answer 10

A1AT binds to elastase, preventing it from cleaving elastin and therefore reducing the potential for damage to the surrounding tissues

Question 11

What happens if there bus a deficiency in Alpha-1 antitrypsin?

Answer 11

Can lead to unchecked activity of elastase, resulting in tissue damage and an increased risk of developing emphysema or liver disease

Question 12

What happens when you inhale?

Answer 12

Brain sends signals to the intercostal muscles and the diaphragm. The intercostal muscles contract and lift the rib cage up and out and the diaphragm moves downwards increasing the volume of the thoracic cavity. As this volume increases the pressure within the lungs decreases relative to the atmospheric pressure causing air to be sucked into the lungs

Question 13

What is Boyle’s law?

Answer 13

States that for a given mass of gas at a constant temperature, the pressure of gas is inversely proportional to the volume

Question 14

What happens when you exhale?

Answer 14

The nervous system stops sending signals to the intercostal muscles and the diaphragm allowing the muscles to relax, as these relax the thoracic cavity decreases in size and the lungs deflate. Elastic recoil occurs bringing the lungs back to their original size, this is crucial for effective breathing because it helps push air out of the lungs without requiring active muscle contraction

Question 15

What does elastic recoil refer to?

Answer 15

The lung’s ability to return to their original shape after being stretched or inflated

Question 16

What happens to the elasticity lungs in patient’s with emphysema?

Answer 16

Can inflate much easier - so patient’s don’t usually have any trouble breathing in as the lungs don’t return to their original state die to the destruction of elastin and loss of elastic recoil

Question 17

What is lung compliance?

Answer 17

A measure of how easily the lungs can be inflated. It refers to the change in lung volume for a given change in pressure. In patient’s with emphysema the loss of elastin results in high lung compliance

Question 18

What is the difference in exhalation in patient’s with emphysema?

Answer 18

Lungs cannot deflate effectively on their own so patient’s have to use more effort to exhale, they rely heavily on external intercostal muscles and abdominal muscles. Many patient’s adopt pursed lip breathing (inhaling through nose and exhaling slowly through the lips) this helps to maintain positive pressure in the airways during exhalation

Question 19

What is residual volume?

Answer 19

The amount of air that remains in the lungs after a complete exhalation

Question 20

What happens to the residual volume in emphysema patients?

Answer 20

It increases as air is difficult to remove due to the destruction of the alveolar walls from excess elastase. Patient’s develop barrel chest as they still need to inhale the same amount of air so the chest expands over time

Question 21

What is the ventilation/perfusion ratio (V/Q ratio)

Answer 21

a measure of the relationship between the amount of air reaching the alveoli (ventilation) and the blood flow in the pulmonary capillaries (perfusion).

Question 22

What is a normal V/Q ratio?

Answer 22

0.8

Question 23

What does a low V/Q ratio mean?

Answer 23

Dec teased ventilation relative to perfusion

Question 24

What does a high V/Q ratio mean?

Answer 24

Ventilation is high relative to perfusion

Question 25

What can a V/Q mismatch lead to?

Answer 25

impaired oxygenation of blood, increased WOB, potential respiratory distress and fatigue