Lecture 19: Lung Disease

Question 1

What is surfactant?

Answer 1

• thin film of water on alveoli

- formed in lungs of unborn babies

Question 2

Surfactant purpose

Answer 2

• reduces surface tension, allowing for expansion of lungs & easy breathing
• babies born 1 month or more prematurely don’t develop surfactant , makes breathing difficult

Question 3

COPD

Answer 3

• a progressive disease that affects lungs, restricting airways and making it difficult to breath
• two main components: bronchitis & emphysema

Question 4

Emphysema

Answer 4

• type of COPD
• damage to alveoli when lungs are suffering from damage when enzymes are released in response to attack pathogens (inflammation)
• when alveoli break down due to smoking

Question 5

Consequences for loss of structure in alveoli associated with emphysema

Answer 5

• loss of elasticity (harder for lungs to contract and expand)
• decreased surface area for gas exchange (internal structure reduces)
• increased risk for further septal rupture:

1. Damage will lead to more damage
2. Part of lung removed creates bigger holes due to tension
3. Chronic disease; damage keeps happening over time
4. Comparable to mesh video

Question 6

Pink Puffer

Answer 6

• person suffering from advanced emphysema
• Characteristics:

1. Pink flush
2. Barrel-chested; muscular chest because it has to work harder to breath
3. Short of breath

Question 7

Emphysema treatment

Answer 7

• slow progression by removing irritants (eg stop smoking)
• supplemental oxygen
• lung transplant
• however, damage is irreversible

Question 8

Bronchitis

Answer 8

• type of COPD
• inflammation of the bronchial tubes that causes excess mucus
• wall of bronchi is irritated, makes walls thicker leading to less room for airway
• main cause: smoking

Question 9

Blue Bloaters

Answer 9

• due to chronic bronchitis
• lack of oxygen to blood
• wheezing & coughing
• sputum production (mixture of saliva and mucus coughed up from the respiratory tract)
• cyanotic
• impaired airflow leads to fluid retention, causing bloating

Question 10

Bronchitis Treatment

Answer 10

• managed more than cured
• bronchodilators to relax muscles around airways
• steroids to reduce inflammation
• oxygen therapy to help with shortness of breath

Question 11

Asthma

Answer 11

• chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways
• causes wheezing, chest tightness, coughing, and shortness of breath

Question 12

What is asthma thought to be caused by?

Answer 12

• “Hygiene Hypothesis”
• cleaner living today leads to less diseases children are exposed to, leading to weaker immune systems
• airborne allergens (eg cigarette smoke)

Question 13

Lung transplant complications

Answer 13

1. Donor shortage because you can’t live with only one lung as compared to one kidney
2. Hard to harvest and transport lungs without damage
3. Patients may be too weak to survive surgery
4. Lungs may be rejected (happens 1 in 5 transplants)