physiology Flashcards
what is internal respiration?
the intracellular mechanisms which consumes O2 and produces CO2
what is external respiration?
the sequence of events that lead to the exchange of O2 and CO2 between the external environment and the cells of the body
4 stages
what are the stages of external respiration?
- ventilation - moving gas in and out of the lungs
- gas exchange - O2 from alveoli to blood
- the binding and transport of gasses in blood stream
- gas exchange - O2 from blood to tissues
what are the body systems involved in external respiration?
- respiratory system
- cardiovascular system
- haematology system
- nervous system
definition of ventilation
the mechanical process of moving air between the atmosphere and alveolar sacs
boyle’s law
as the volume of gas increases, the pressure exerted by the gas decreases
what holds the thoracic wall and the lungs in close opposition?
- the intrapleural fluid cohesiveness = the water molecules in the intrapleural fluid are attracted to each other and resist being pulled apart. hence the pleural membranes tend to stick together
- the negative intrapleural pressure = the SUB-ATMOSPHERIC intrapleural pressure creates a transmural pressure gradient across the lung wall and across the chest wall. so the lungs are forced to expand outwards while the chest is forced to squeeze inwards
what is the equation for transmural pressure gradient across lung wall?
Palv - Pip
what is the equation for the transmural pressure gradient across thoracic wall?
Patm - Pip
what happens during inspiration?
- active process depending on muscle contraction
- the volume of the thorax is increased vertically by contraction of the diaphragm, flattening out it’s dome shape
- the external intercostal muscle contraction lifts the ribs and moves out the sternum - bucket handle mechanism
what does inspiration result in?
- increased size of lungs
- so intra-alveolar pressure falls because air molecules becomes contained in a larger volume
- air then enters the lungs down it’s pressure gradient
what happens during expiration?
- passive process
- chest wall and stretched lungs recoil
- recoil of lungs make the intra-alveolar pressure rise because air becomes contained in a smaller volume
- sir then leaves the lungs down it’s concentration gradient
what is pneumothorax?
- air in the pleural space
- can be spontaneous traumatic or iatrogenic
- it can abolish transmural pressure gradient leading to lung collapse
what are the signs of pneumothorax?
- symptoms include shortness or breath and chest pain
- physical signs include hyperresonant percussion note and decreased breath sounds
how do lungs recoil during expiration?
- elastic connective tissue in the lungs causes the structure to bounce back into shape
- alveolar surface tension
what is alveolar surface tension?
- attraction between water molecules at liquid air interface
- in the alveoli this produces a force which resists the stretching of the lungs
- if the alveoli were lines with eater along, the surface tension would be too strong so the alveoli would collapse
what does surfactant do?
reduces the alveolar surface tension by interspersing between the water molecules lining the alveoli, preventing the smaller alveoli from collapsing
LaPlace’s law
P = 2T/r P = inward directed collapsing pressure T = surface tension r = radius of the bubble
respiratory distress syndrome of new born
- premature babies may not have enough pulmonary surfactant
- this causes respiratory distress syndrome of the new born
- the baby makes very strenuous inspiratory efforts in an attempt to overcome the high surface tension and inflate the lungs
what is alveolar interdependence?
- helps keep alveoli open
- in an alveolus starts to collapse, the surrounding alveoli are stretched and then recoil, exerting expanding forces in the collapsing alveolus to open it
what are the forces that keep alveoli open?
- transmural pressure gradient
- pulmonary surfactant
- alveolar interdependence
what are the forces promoting alveolar collapse?
- elasticity of stretched lung connective tissue
- alveolar surface tension
what are the major inspiratory muscles?
- diaphragm
- external intercostal muscles
what are the accessory muscles of inspiration?
- (contracts only during forceful inspiration)
- sternocleidomastoid
- scalenus
- pectoral
what are the muscles of active expiration?
(contracts only during active expiration)
- abdominal muscles
- internal intercostal muscle
tidal volume (TV)
- volume of air entering or leaving lungs during a single breath
- 0.5L
inspiratory reserve volume (IRV)
- extra volume of air that can be maximally inspired over and above the typical resting tidal volume
- 3.0L
expiratory reserve volume (ERV)
- extra volume of air that can be actively expired by maximal contraction beyond the normal volume of air after a resting tidal volume
- 1.0L
Residual volume (RV)
- Minimum volume of air remaining in the lungs even after a maximal expiration
- 1.2L
- REST
Inspiratory Capacity (IC)
Maximum volume of air that can be inspired at the end of a normal quiet expiration
(IC =IRV + TV)
3.5L
Functional Residual Capacity (FRC)
Volume of air in lungs at end of normal passive expiration (FRC = ERV + RV)
2.2L
Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)
Maximum volume of air that can be moved out during a single breath following a maximal inspiration (VC = IRV + TV + ERV)
4.5L
Total Lung Capacity (TLC)
Total volume of air the lungs can hold
(TLC = VC + RV)
5.7L
- residual volume and lung volume can’t be measured by spirometry
when does residual volume increase?
when the elastic recoil of the lungs is lost eg in emphysema
forced vital capacity (FVC)
maximum volume that can be forcibly expelled from the lungs following a maximum inspiration
forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1)
volume of air that can be expired during the first second of expiration in an FVC determination
FEV1/FVC ratio
FEV1/FVC x 100 = normally more than 70%
equation for airflow
F = detlaP/R F = flow P = pressure R = resistance
dynamic airway compression
- pressure applied to alveolus helps push air out of lungs
- pressure applied to airway compresses it
increased airway resistance in in dynamic airway compression
- causes an increase in airway pressure upstream = helps open airways by increasing the driving pressure between the alveolus and airway