Lungs

Question 1

What is asthma?

Answer 1

Recurrent reversible airflow obstruction due to inflammatory changes in the airways. Bronchial hyper-reactivity. Causes wheezing, coughing, hyperinflation.

Question 2

What are xanthines?

Answer 2

Bronchodilators. Narrow therapeutic window, many drug interactions. Cause cause cardiac dysrhythmias and seizures. Use of xanthines has declined, but still used in lower doses for anti-inflammatory effects.

Question 3

What is COPD?

Answer 3

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Largely irreversible airflow obstruction, includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smokers disease. Alveolar destruction.

Question 4

What is the tidal volume?

Answer 4

During normal quiet breathing the amount of air that moves in and out of the lungs with each breath. Normally 500ml.

Question 5

What is the inspiratory reserve volume?

Answer 5

The volume of air that can be inspired beyond the tidal volume.

Question 6

What is the expiratory reserve volume?

Answer 6

The volume of air that can be expired after a tidal expiration.

Question 7

What is the residual volume?

Answer 7

Volume of air (approx. 1200ml) that remains int he lungs after the most strenuous expiration. The residual volume prevents atelectasis.

Question 8

What is the vital capacity?

Answer 8

The total amount of exchangeable air. VC=TV+IRV+ERV.

Question 9

What is total lung capacity?

Answer 9

The sum of all lung volumes and is normally around 6L in males.

Question 10

What is spirometry?

Answer 10

Measurement of inspired or expired air. Used to assess lung function.

Question 11

What is FEV1?

Answer 11

Forced expiratory volume in one second. The maximal volume of gas, which can be expired from the lungs in the first second of a forced expiration from full inspiration.

Question 12

What is FVC?

Answer 12

Forced vital capacity. Maximal volume of gas, which can be expired from the lungs during a forced expiration from full inspiration.

Question 13

What is the FEV1/FVC(%)?

Answer 13

Proportion of the FVC, which can be expelled during the first second of expiation-expressed as a percentage. Derived by calculating FEV1/FVC x 100.

Question 14

What is the peak expiratory flow?

Answer 14

The maximum expiratory flow that can be sustained for a minimum of 10msecs.

Question 15

What is ventilation?

Answer 15

Refers to the movement of gas into and out of the alveoli. Expressed as V.

Question 16

What is perfusion?

Answer 16

Refers to the blood flow through the pulmonary capillaries. Expressed as Q.