Physiology Flashcards
What are the muscles of Resp like?
Inspiration: - largely quiet and due to diaphragm C3/4/5 contraction
External intercostal nerve roots at each level
What is expiration as a process?
Expiration: - passive during quiet breathing
What is a static lung like?
Both chest wall and lungs have elastic properties, and a resting (unstressed) volume
Changing this volume requires force
Release of this force leads to a return to the resting volume
Pleural plays an important role linking chest wall and lungs
This is the lungs ‘midpoint’ - resting position e.g. blow all the way out, without trying to breath in it comes back halfway
What occurs in the Resp pump?
Requirement to move 5 litres / minute of inspired gas [cardiac output 5 litres / min]
Generation of negative intra-alveolar pressure
Inspiration active requirement to generate flow
What helps the Resp pump?
Bony structures support respiratory muscles and protect lungs
Rib movements; pump handle and water handle
Muscles of Resp, pleura, nerves
What is the innervation of the Resp pump?
Sensory;
•Sensory receptors assessing flow, stretch etc..
•C fibres
•Afferent via vagus nerve (10th cranial nerve)
–Autonomic sympathetic, parasympathetic balance
What is ventilation and perfusion?
VENTILATION; Bulk flow in the airways allows;
O2 and CO2 movement
PERFUSION; Adequate pulmonary blood supply also needed
Occurs in alveoli and capillaries
What is the SA of gas exchange like?
Large surface area required, with minimal distance for gases to move across. Total combined surface area for gas exchange 50-100 m2
300,000,000 alveoli per lung
What is dead space?
Alveolar ventilation
Volume of air not contributing to ventilation
Anatomic; Approx 150mls
Alveolar; Approx 25mls
Physiological
(Anatomic+Alveolar) = 175mls
What is the bronchial circulation?
Blood supply to the lung; branches of the bronchial arteries
Paired branches arising laterally to supply bronchial and peri-bronchial tissue and visceral pleura
Systemic pressures (i.e. LV/aortic pressures)
Venous drainage; bronchial veins draining ultimately into the superior vena cava
What is the pulmonary circulation?
Left and right pulmonary arteries run from right ventricle
Low(er) pressure system (i.e. RV / pulmonary artery pressures)
17 orders of branching
Elastic (>1mm ) and non elastic
Muscular (<1mm )
Arterioles (<0.1mm )
Capillaries
What is the bronchial-vascular bundle?
Pulmonary artery and bronchus run in parallel
What does alveolar perfusion involve?
Each erythrocyte may come into contact with multiple alveoli
Erythrocyte thickness an important component of the distance across which gas has to be moved
At rest, 25% the way through capillary, haemoglobin is fully saturated
Why is matching V and P important?
Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction
Pulmonary vessels have high capacity for cardiac output
–30% of total capacity at rest
Recruiting of alveoli occurs as a consequence of exercise
What is PaCO2, PACO2, PaO2, PAO2?
PaCO2 = arterial CO2
PACO2 = alveolar CO2
PaO2 = arterial O2
PAO2 = alveolar O2
What is PiO2, FiO2, VA and VCO2?
PiO2 = pressure of inspired O2
FiO2 = Fraction of inspired O2 (0.21)
VA = Alveolar ventilation
VCO2 = CO2 production
What is CO2 elimination?
What is Physio causes of high CO2?
- reduced minute vent
- increased dead space vent by rapid shallow breath
- increased deade space by VQ mismatch
- increased CO2 production
What is the alveolar gas equation?
PAO2 = piO2 - PaCO2/R
What is the cause of low PaO2?
Hypoxemia
- alveolar hypoventilation
- reduced piO2
- V/Q mismatch
- diffusion abnormality
Why does the O2/Hb dissociation curve have a sigmoid shape?
Sigmoid shape
As each O2 molecule binds, it alters the conformation of haemoglobin, making subsequent binding easier (cooperative binding)
What are the influences of the O2/Hb dissociation curve?
Varying influences
2,3 diphosphoglyceric acid
H+
Temperature
CO2
What is acid base control?
Body maintains close control of pH to ensure optimal function (e.g. enzymatic cellular reactions)
Dissolved CO2/carbonic acid/respiratory system interface crucial to the maintenance of this control
pH normally 7.40
H+ concentration 40nmol/l [34-44 nmol/l]
What is imp in A-B control?
Blood and tissue buffers important
Carbonic acid / bicarbonate buffer in particular
CO2 under predominant respiratory control (rapid)
HCO3- under predominant renal control (less rapid)
The respiratory system is able to compensate for increased carbonic acid production, but;
Elimination of fixed acids requires a functioning renal system
What equations are in A-B control?
Carbonic acid equilibrium
CO2+H20 = H2CO3 = H+ + HCO3-
Henderson hasselbach equation
PH = 6.1+log10[HCO3-]/[0.03X?PCO2] CHECK
How does the Henderson hasselbach equation change?
In order to keep pH at 7.4, log of the ratio must equal 1.3
As PaCO2 rises (respiratory failure)
HCO3- must also rise (renal compensatory mechanism) to allow this
In order to keep pH at 7.4, log of the ratio must equal 1.3
As PaCO2 rises (respiratory failure)
HCO3- must also rise (renal compensatory mechanism) to allow this
What are the four main acid-base disorders?
Resp acidosis
Resp alkalosis
Metabolic acidosis
Metabolic alkalosis
Define Resp acidosis
increased PaCO2, decreased pH, mild increased HCO3-
Define Resp alkalosis
decreased PaCO2, increased pH, mild decreased HCO3-
Define metabolic acidosis
reduced bicarbonate and decreased pH
Define metabolic alkalosis
Increased bicarbonate and increased pH
What are measure values of lung physiology?
FEV1
Forced expiratory volume in one second
FVC
Forced vital capacity
Breathe in to total lung capacity (TLC)
Exhale as fast as possible to residual volume (RV)
Volume produced is the vital capacity (FVC)
What is Forced expiration like?
Take the exact same procedure
Re-plot the data showing flow as a function of volume
PEF; peak flow
FEF25; flow at point when 25% of total volume to be exhaled has been exhaled
FVC; forced vital capacity
What is PEF (peak expiratory flow rate)?
Single measure of highest flow during expiration
Peak flow meter, spirometer
Gives reading in litres/minute (L/min)
Very effort dependent
May be measured over time, by giving a patient a PEF meter and chart
What do expiratory procedures measure?
Expiratory procedures only measure VC, not RV
Various other ways to measure RV and TLC are needed
These include;
–Gas dilution
–Body box (total body plethysmography; shown in picture)
What are gas dilutions?
Measurement of all air in the lungs that communicates with the airways
Does not measure air in non-communicating bullae
Gas dilution techniques use either closed-circuit helium dilution or open-circuit nitrogen washout
What is a total body plethymography?
Alterative method of measuring lung volume, (Boyle’s law), including gas trapped in bullae.
From the FRC, patient “pants” with an open glottis against a closed shutter to produce changes in the box pressure proportionate to the volume of air in the chest
The volume measured (TGV) represents the lung volume at which the shutter was closed
How to calculate TLC?
FRC, inspiratory capacity, expiratory reserve volume, vital capacity all measured
From these volumes and capacities, the residual volume and total lung capacity can be calculated
TLC = VC+RV
What estimates TLCO?
Carbon monoxide used to estimate TLCO, as has high affinity for haemoglobin
•TLCO is an overall measure of the interaction of;
–alveolar surface area
–alveolar capillary perfusion
–physical properties of the alveolar capillary interface
–capillary volume
–haemoglobin concentration, and the reaction rate of carbon monoxide and hemoglobin.
What is the breath-holding technique?
Single 10 second breath-holding technique
–10% helium, 0.3% carbon monoxide, 21% oxygen, remainder nitrogen.
•Alveolar sample obtained;
–DLCO is calculated from the total volume of the lung, breath-hold time, and the initial and final alveolar concentrations of carbon monoxide.
What are the normal ranges?
Each measured value has its own normal range
•Derived normally from regression equations based on normal populations
•Wide range of values hence normal
•Lowest 5% arbitrarily defined as abnormal (and upper 5%)
What are the normal measured values in men?
Men - predicted, equation RSD
- FEV1 (L)
- FVC (L)
- PEF
- 4.30H - 0.029A - 2.49
- 5.76H - 0.026A - 4.34
- 6.14H - 0.043A + 0.15
- 0.51 (0.75)
- 0.61 (0.89)
- 1.21 ( 1.98)
What are the normal measured value ranges in women?
Women predicted, equation and RSD
- FEV1 (L)
- FVC (L)
- PEF
- 3.95H - 0.025A - 2.60
- 4.43H - 0.026A - 2.89
- 5.50H - 0.030A - 1.11
- 0.38 (0.64)
- 0.43 (0.67)
- 0.90 (1.45)
What is FEV 1 and FVC?
FEV1
Forced expiratory volume in one second
FVC
Forced vital capacity
Normal values?
What are abnormal values of FEV 1?
Forced expiratory volume in one second in litres
Good overall assessment of lung health
Compare with predicted value
80% or greater “normal”
Above the lower limit of normal for that patient (LLN)
Above mean minus 1.645 SD
What are the normal values of FVC?
Compare with predicted value
80% or greater “normal”
Above the lower limit of normal for that patient (LLN)
Above mean minus 1.645 SD
Low value indicates likely Airways Restriction
What is airway restriction?
FVC <80% predicted
Low FVC value indicates likely airways restriction
What ima airway obstuction?
FEV1/FVC
There is a predicted ratio for each individual, but..
Abnormal ratio < 0.70 = airways obstruction
[Can also use the LLN* for each individual patient]
*Lower limit of normal
FEV1 / FVC ratio < 0.70 = airways obstruction
FEV1/FVC ratio <0.70
What are transfer estimates?
Carbon monoxide used to estimate TLCO, as has high affinity for haemoglobin
•TLCO is an overall measure of the interaction of;
–alveolar surface area
–alveolar capillary perfusion
–physical properties of the alveolar capillary interface
–capillary volume
–haemoglobin concentration, and the reaction rate of carbon monoxide and hemoglobin.
Watch lung physio 3 lecture - cases!
What is the requirement of respiration?
Ensure haemoglobin is as close to full saturation with oxygen as possible
–Efficient use of energy resource
–Regulate PaCO2 carefully
•variations in CO2 and small variations in pH can alter physiological function quite widely
How is breathing automatic?
Breathing is automatic
–No conscious effort for the basic rhythm
–Rate and depth under additional influences
–Depends on cyclical excitation and control of many muscles
•Upper airway, lower airway, diaphragm, chest wall
•Near linear activity
•Increase thoracic volume
What are the input signals of breathing?
- Central chemoreceptors
- Voluntary Control (cerebrum)
- Lung Receptors
1.Stretch, 2.J receptors, 3.Irritant
-> - Respiratory control centres (Medulla and Pons)->
- Spinal Motor Neurons ->
Muscles of Respiration
Intercostal muscles
Accessory muscles
Diaphragm
Muscle proprioceptors and peripheral chemoreceptors - carotid and aortic ->resp control centres (medulla and pons)
What are the basic breathing rhythms?
Pons
–Pneumotaxic and Apneustic Centres
•Medulla Oblongata
–Phasic discharge of action potentials
–Two main groups
•Dorsal respiratory group (DRG)
•Ventral respiratory group (VRG)
What are the basic breathing rhythms?
Pons
–Pneumotaxic and Apneustic Centres
•Medulla Oblongata
–Phasic discharge of action potentials
–Two main groups
•Dorsal respiratory group (DRG)
•Ventral respiratory group (VRG)