Physiology Flashcards
what is the internal respiration equation?
food + oxygen = energy + carbon dioxide (+ water)
consumption of oxygen and production of carbon dioxide
what does external respiration refer to?
the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between external environment and the cells of the body
how many steps are involved in external respiration?
4
what is the 1st step of external respiration?
ventilation
what is the 2nd step of external respiration?
gas exchange between alveoli and blood
what is the 3rd step of external respiration?
gas transport in the blood
what is the 4th step of external respiration?
gas exchange at tissue level
what does ventilation (1st step of external respiration) involve?
the mechanical process of gas exchange between the armosphere and the alveoli
what does ‘gas exchange between alveoli and blood’ (2nd step of external respiration) involve?
exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air in the alveoli and the blood in the pulmonary capillaries
what does ‘gas transport in the blood’ (3rd step of external respiration) involve?
the binding and transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the circulating blood
what does ‘gas exchange at tissue level’ (4th step of external respiration) involve?
the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the blood in the systemic circulation and the body cells
what 3 body systems are involved in external respiration?
respiratory system
cardiovascular system
haematology system
What is Boyle’s Law?
for a given mass of gas -at a certain temperature- as the volume of the gas increases, the pressure exerted by the gas decreases.
air flows down a pressure gradient ___ pressure to a region of ___ pressure
high pressure to a region of low pressure
when is the intra-alveolar pressure equivalent to the atmospheric pressure?
before inspiration
What does expansion of the thorax and lungs do to the intra-alveolar pressure?
makes it fall below atmospheric pressure (Boyle’s Law)
this allows air to move from atmosphere into lungs down pressure gradient
what 2 forces hold the thoracic wall and the lungs in close opposition?
- intrapleural fluid cohesiveness
2. the negative intrapleural pressure
how does the intrapleural fluid keep thoracic wall and lungs in close opposition?
the water molecules in the intrapleural fluid are attracted to each other and resist being pulled apart, therefore pleural membranes tend to stick together
how does the negative intrapleural pressure keep the thoracic wall and lungs in close opposition?
the sub-atmospheric intrapleural pressure creates a transmural pressure gradient across the lung wall and chest wall, therefore lungs are forced to expand outwards while the chest is forced to squeeze inwards
what 3 pressures are important in ventilation?
atmospheric pressure
intra-alveolar pressure
intrapleural pressure
what is the atmospheric pressure at sea level?
760mmHg
what is usually the intrapleural pressure?
756mmHg
when the external intercostal muscle contract what do they cause?
elevation of the ribs, causing the sternum to move upwards and forwards- increases AP dimension of thoracic cavity
what type of process is inspiration?
active
brought about by contraction of inspiratory muscles
what type of process is normal expiration?
passive
brought about by relaxation of inspiratory muscles
what 2 properties allows the lung to recoil to their preinspiratory size during expiration?
elastic connective tissue in the lungs
alveolar surface tension
what does the recoil of lungs do to the intra-alveolar pressure?
makes it rise above atmospheric pressure
(Boyle’s Law)
this allows air to move from lungs to atmosphere down a pressure gradientq
what is a traumatic pneumothorax?
a puncture wound in the chest wall causing a collapsed lung
what is a spontaneous pneumothrax?
a hole in the lung itself causing a collapsed lung
why do holes in either the chest wall of lung wall cause collapsed lungs?
they permit air to enter the pleural cavity and abolish the transural pressure gradient causing the lung to collapse to its unstretched size
what is alveolar surface tension?
attraction between water molecules at liquid air interface on the internal surface of the alveoli producing a force which resists the stretching of the lungs
what would happen if the alveoli were lined with water alone on the internal surface?
surface tension would be too strong and the alveoli collapse
What is LaPlace’s Law
P= 2T/r where: P = inward directed collapsing pressure T = surface tension r = radius of the alveoli so collapsing pressure varies directly with surface tension but varies indirectly with to radius
what happens to the tendency of the alveoli to collapse if the radius of the alveoli is decreased?
increased tendency to collapse
what mixture intersperses between the water molecules lining the alveoli and lowers the alveolar surface tension?
surfactant
what is surfactant made of?
a complex misture of lipids and proteins
what type of cell secretes surfactant?
type II alveoli
in what type of alveoli is surfactant more effective in? (small or big alveoli?)
small alveoli
what does surfactant prevent from happening?
the smaller alvoli collapsing and emptying their air contents intp the larger alveoli
what causes respiratory distress syndrome of the new born?
premature babies may not have enough pulmonary surfactant and so the baby makes very strenuous inspiratory efforts in an attempt to overcome the high surface tension and inflate the lungs
when is surfactant synthesised in the developing fetal lungs?
late in pregnancy
what 3 forces keep the alveoli open? (ie overcome surface tension)
transmural pressure gradient
pulmonary surfactant
alveolar interdependence
what happens when an alveolus starts to collapse?
the surrounding alveoli are stretched and then recoil exerting expanding forces in the collapsing alveolus causing it to open again
(alveolar interdependence)
what are the accessory muscles of inspiration?
sternocleidomastoid
scalenus
what are the major muscles of inspiration?
diaphragma
external intercostal muscles
when are the accessory muscles of inspiration used?
during forceful inspiration
what are the muscles of active expiration?
internal intercostal muscles
abdominal muscles
what device is used to measure lung volumes and capacities?
spirometer
what one volume can the spirometer not measure?
residual volume
What is the tidal volume? (TV)
volume of air entering or leaving lungs during a single breath
what is the inspiratory reserve volume? (IRV)
extra volume of air that can be maximally inspired over and above the typical resting tidal volume
what is the average tidal volume? (TV)
500ml
what is the average inspiratory reserve volume? (IRV)
3000ml
what is the inspiratory capacity? (IC)
the maximal volume of air that can be inspired at the end of a normal quiet expiration
(IC = TV + IRV)
what is the average inspiratory capacity? (IC)
3500ml
500ml + 3000ml
what is the expiratory reserve volume? (ERV)
extra volume of air that can be actively expired by aximal contraction beyond the normal volume of air after a resting tidal colume
what is the average expiratory reserve volume? (ERV)
1000ml
what is the residual volume? (RV)
minimal volume of air remaining in the lungs even after a maximal expiration
what is the average residual volume?
1200ml
what is the functional residual capacity? (FRC)
the volume of air in the lungs at the end of a normal expiration
(FRC = ERV +RV)
what is the average functional residual capacity?
2200ml
1000 + 1200ml
what is the vital capacity? (VC)
maximal volume of air that can be moved out during a single breath following a maximal inspiration
(VC = IRV + TV + ERV)
what is the average vital capacity?
4500ml
3000ml + 500ml + 1000ml
what is the total lung capacity? (TLC)
maximal volume of air that the lungs can hold
(TLC = VC + RV
TLC = IRV + TV + ERV + RV)
what is the average total lung capacity?
5700ml
(4500ml + 1200ml)
(3000ml + 500ml + 1000ml + 1200ml)
what is the forced expiratory volume in 1 second? (FEV1)
[a dynamic volume]
the volume of air that can be expired during the first second in a FVC (forced vital capacity)
what is the normal FEV1%?
FEV1/FVC ratio
> 75%
what does spirometry allow you to create?
a volume time curve
what 3 things does a volume time curve produced from spirometry allow you to determine?
the FV
FEV1
FEV1%
in an obstructive lung disease, what is the FEV%?
FEV1/FVC ratio
<75% (reduced)
in an obstructive lung disease, what happens to the FEV1 and the FVC?
FEV1- reduced
FVC- normal (4500ml)
in a restrictive lung disease, what happens to the FEV1 and the FVC?
FEV1- reduced
FVC- reduced
in an restrictive lung disease, what is the FEV%?
FEV1/FVC ratio
> 75% (normal)
what does airway flow vary with?
varies directly with pressure
varies indirectly with resistance
(as pressure increases flow increases. as resisance increases flow decreases.)
why does air usually flow in the airways with only a small pressure gradient?
resistance to flow in the airways is normally very low
what does parasympathetic stimulation cause in the smooth muscles of the airways?
bronchoconstriction
what does sympathetic stimulation cause in the smooth muscles of the airways?
bronchodilation
in obstructive disease which is more difficult- expiration or inspiration?
expiration
what effect happens during active expiration that causes no problem in normal people but is problematic for patients with airway obstruction?
dynamic airway compression
what 2 things does dynamic airway compression cause an increased pressure in?
alveoli
airways
what is dynamic airway compression not a problem for normal people?
despite the increased airway resistance, the pressure in the alveoli gets high enough so there is no change in air flow
why is dynamic airway compression problematic for patients with airway obstruction?
if there is an airway obstruction, the alveoli pressure wont be high enough to overcome the increased airway resistance- causing air-trapping behind the blackade
in addition to obstructed airways, what other type of airways are more likely to collapse?
diseased airways
what can aggravate the problem of dynamic airway compression in patients with airway obstruction?
if the patient also has decreased elastic recoil of the lungs
(ie patient with emphysema and obstructed airway caused by COPD)
what does a peak flow meter do?
measures the maximum speed at which a patient can move air out of lungs- peak flow rate
what does a decrease in peak flow rate show?
possible obstructive lung disease
what does peak flow rate in normal adults vary with?
age, sex, height
what is pulmonary compliance?
a measure of effort that has to go into stretching or distending the lungs
what type of pattern of lung volumes with a decreaed pulmonary compliance show?
restrictive pattern
what do pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary oedema, lung collapse, pneumonia and absence of surfactant do to the pulmonary compliance?
decrease pulmonary compliance
in restrictive disease which is more difficult- expiration or inspiration?
inspiration
what occurs in emphysema?
increased compliance due to loss of elastic recoil (hard to get air out of the lungs- hyperinflation)
what physiological factor can cause pulmonary compliance to increase?
age
what is the name of the area of the airways where there is inspired air but it is not available for gas exchange?
anatomical dead space
Pulmonay ventilation (L)=
tidal volume (L/breath) x respiratory rate (breath/min)
what is the normal pulmonary ventilation rate under normal resting conditions?
6L/min
why is alveolar ventilation less than pulmonary ventilation?
anatomical dead space
alveolar ventilation =
(tidal volume - dead space volume) x Resp Rate
what is the normal alveolar ventilation rate under normal resting conditions?
4.2L/min
what is pulmonary ventilation?
the volume of air breathed in and out per minute