Physiology Flashcards
What is internal respiration?
Internal respiration refers to the intracellular mechanism which consumes O2 and produces CO2
What is external respiration?
External respiration refers to the sequence of events that lead to the exchange of O2 and CO2 between the external environment and the cells of the body
What are the four steps of external respiration?
Ventilation, Gas exchange between alveoli and blood, Gas transport in the blood and Gas exchange at the tissue level
What is Boyle’s law?
Boyle’s law is that at any constant temperature, the pressure exerted by a gas varies inversely with the volume of the gas. Gases move from higher to lower pressure
What is ventilation?
Ventilation is the mechanical process of moving gas in and out of the lungs
What is atmospheric pressure?
Atmospheric pressure is caused by the weight of the gas in the atmosphere on the Earth’s surface
What is intra-alveolar pressure?
Intra-alveolar pressure is the pressure within the lung alveoli when equilibrated with atmospheric pressure
What is intrapleural pressure?
Intrapleural pressure is the pressure exerted outside the lungs within the pleural cavity
What is the transmural pressure gradient?
The difference between the intra-pleural and intra-alveolar pressure (a pneumothorax abolishes this gradient)
What are the normal muscles of inspiration and is this an active or passive process?
The muscles are the diaphragm and the external intercostal muscles and the process is active
Explain the recoil of the lungs and if normal resting expiration is passive or active?
Normal resting expiration is passive due to the alveolar recoil of the lungs caused by elastic connective tissue and the alveolar surface tension
What is pulmonary surfactant and why is it important?
Surfactant reduces alveolar surface tension by interspersing between the water molecules and so decreases the energy required to expand the lungs
What is the Law of La Place?
The Law of La Place says that the smaller alveoli are less likely to collapse because surfactant has a greater effect on the smaller alveoli, adding surfactant reduces the chance of alveolar collapse
Where does alveolar stability come from?
Alveolar interdependence is when surrounding alveoli stretch and recoil to expand the collapsing alveoli and stop it closing
What are the forces opening the lungs?
transmural pressure gradient, pulmonary surfactant, alveolar interdependence
What are the forces closing the lungs?
alveolar surface tension and elasticity of stretched lung connective tissue
What are the accessory muscles of inspiration?
sternocleidomastoid, scalenus and pectoral
What are the muscles of active expiration?
abdominal muscles and internal intercostal muscles
What is tidal volume?
tidal volume is the volume of air inhaled and exhaled during a normal breath
What is inspiratory reserve volume?
IRV is the volume of air that can be recruited to increase resting tidal volume
What is the residual volume?
RV is the remaining air in the lungs after a complete forced exhalation
What is the functional residual capacity?
FRC is the volume of air left in the lung after expiration of a normal tidal volume breath
What is the vital capacity?
VC is the greatest volume of air that can be inhaled and exhaled
What is total lung capacity and why can’t this be measured using spirometry?
TLC is the maximum volume of air that the lungs can hold, this can’t be measured by spirometry because the RV can’t
What is the equation linking IC, TV and TRV
IC = IRV + TV
What is the equation linking ERV, RV and FRC
FRC = ERV + RV
What is the equation linking IRV, TV, ERV and VC
VC = IRV + TV + ERV
What is the equation linking VC, TLC and RV
TLC = VC + RV
How does obstructive lung disease change FVC and FEV1/FVC ratio?
low or normal FVC and low FEV1/FVC ratio
How does restrictive lung disease change FVC and FEV1/FVC ratio?
low FVC and normal FEV1/FVC ratio
What are the factors that influence airway resistance?
Pressure and resistance
Does sympathetic cause bronchoconstriction or bronchodilation?
sympathetic causes bronchodilation
Does parasympathetic cause bronchoconstriction or bronchodilation?
parasympathetic causes bronchoconstriction
What is dynamic airway compression and why does this cause problems in patients with airway obstruction?
Dynamic airway compression is the pressure applied to the airways and alveoli during active expiration and is harmful in patients with airway obstruction because there is no air moving through the airway so the outside pressure overcomes the inside pressure and the airway can collapse
What is a peak expiratory flow meter used for?
A PEFR meter is used to identify reversible airway obstruction and to asses the severity of acute airways obstruction
What is lung compliance?
Lung compliance is a measure of the effort that goes into stretching the lungs