Pulmonary Flashcards
Boyle’s Law states…?
Pressure is inversely proportional to volume
How does the alveolar pressure compare to the atmospheric pressure during inhalation? Expiration?
Inspiration - alveolar pressure < atmospheric pressure
Expiration - alveolar pressure > atmospheric pressure
What is transpulmonary pressure? What does it mean when it is positive? Negative?
Transpulmonary pressure - Pressure difference between alveoli (lungs) and intrapleural space
Positive - Lungs will expand (inhalation)
Negative - Lungs will collapse (expiration)
O atm is equal to how many mmHg/torr? cm H2O?
760 mmHg or torr
0 cm H2O
What is the equation for transpulmonary pressure? chest wall pressure?
Transpulm = alveolar pressure - intrapleural pressure
Chest wall = intrapleural press - atm press
What does a positive chest wall pressure mean?
Positive - chest wall is not being held in by intrapleural space
Negative - chest wall is being held in by intrapleural space
What is Functional Residual Capacity (FRC)? What are the normal values?
Volume of air remaining in lungs after expiring during normal tidal breathing.
2 to 2.5 L
At the FRC the alveolar pressure is ___ to the atmosphere. What does this mean for the flow of air?
equal
There is no movement of air in/out the respiratory system.
At the FRC describe the values of the following pressures:
Intrapleural pressure
Transpulmonary pressure
Chest wall pressure
Intrapleural pressure: -4 or -5
Transpulmonary pressure: +4 or +5
Chest wall pressure -4 or -5
Describe atelectasis.
When the transpulmonary pressure equals 0, the lungs collapse
Describe what happens to the intrapleural pressure that leads to lung collapse.
The intrapleural pressure becomes more positive (via air, fluid, etc.) which makes the transpulmonary pressure negative. This leads to lung collapse.
What can increase intrapleural pressure aside from air (pneumothorax) and water (pleural effusion) in the lungs?
Forced exhalation
Stiff chest wall
What are the 4 types of pneumothorax? Describe them.
Primary - Pneumothorax with no lung disease
Secondary - pneumothorax with underlying lung disease (ie. COPD)
Latrogenic - Caused by physician (ie. pericardiocentesis)
Traumatic -Associate chest wall trauma (penetrating- gun, nonpenetrating- ribcage break)
What is a tension pneumothorax? Why is it a medical emergency?
An opening in either side (lung or chest wall) of the intrapleural space that allows air in on inspiration, but traps it during exhalation.
The continued build-up of intrapleural pressure shifts chest organs to the right and lowers venous return and cardiac output –>hypotensive state.
What are the symptoms of a pneumothorax? (3)
Asymptomatic
Dyspnea
Chest pain
What are the common signs of a pneumothorax? (4)
Decreased breath sounds
Decreased chest excursion - Chest wall doesn’t expand much on inhalation because it’s already expanded
Absent tactile fremitus - No humming vibration on chest
Hyperresonant to percussion - Hollow sound
How is pneumothorax treated? (2)
Small and asymptomatic - observation
Moderate to large w/ symptoms - insert chest tube
How is a tension pneumothorax treated?
Insert needle into the 2nd intercostal in the mid-clavicular line space to release air. Next, insert a chest tube.
What are the normal values for Tidal Volume, Vital Capacity, & Expiratory Reserve? What technique is used to measure these?
Tidal Volume: 500 mL
Vital Capacity: 4.5–5 liters
Expiratory Reserve: 1.5 liters
They can all be measured via spirometry
What is the purpose of the Alveolar Gas Equation?
To determine how much oxygen is available in the alveoli for gas exchange.
What are the 3 ways carbon dioxide is carried throughout the blood? Describe them.
Dissolved Directly - CO2 is more soluble in the blood than O2
In the form of Carbonic Acid - Carbonic anhydrase combines CO2 with water to make H2CO3
Carbaminohemoglobin - Deoxygenated RBC’s pick up H+ ions to make HHgb. Then HHgb binds CO2 because of its heightened affinity for it.
What factor inversely affects the partial pressure of alveolar CO2?
Alveolar Ventilation.
The more you breathe the less CO2 is in the alveoli.
What influences the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the alveoli aside from ventilation? (3)
Transport of CO2 from tissues to alveoli
Exchange of CO2 from alveolar capillaries to alveoli
Production of CO2 in tissues
What factors influence the partial pressure of oxygen in the alveoli? (4) Why?
Water - We humidify the air we breathe in.
Carbon Dioxide - Carbon dioxide from ARTERIAL blood is delivered to the alveolar space.
Fraction of Oxygen inspired - The amount of O2 from the atmosphere that we take in. We don’t breathe in 100% O2 normally.
Barometric pressure - This is the total amount of oxygen in the system. The alveolar pressure cannot exceed this number, it can match it if the system is pure oxygen though
What effect does increased ventilation have on the partial pressure of arterial CO2? decreased ventilation?
Increased - More O2(INDIRECT), Less CO2(DIRECT)
Decreased - Less O2 (INDIRECT), More CO2 (DIRECT)
According to Fick’s Law of diffusion, what factors are directly related to the velocity of gas via diffusion? (3)
Diffusion constant - Properties of the membrane & Gas (a constant)
Area of the membrane
Difference in partial pressure of gases
According to Fick’s Law of diffusion, what factors are inversely related to the velocity of gas via diffusion? (1)
Thickness of the membrane
What are the primary factors limit oxygen diffusion?
Disease states that thicken membrane
Low inspired oxygen
Transit time of RBC’s in pulmonary capillary bed
Physical activity/exercise will (increase or decrease?) the transit time of RBCs through the pulmonary capillaries.
decrease
What about the pulmonary capillaries makes them so efficient for blood flow/gas exchange? (3)
Short RBC transit time
Capillaries a very small - 1 RBC at a time
Low resistance to blood flow in pulmonary capillaries
How does arterial oxygenation change with age? How about the A-a gradient?
Arterial oxygenation decreases with age.
The A-a gradient increases with age; oxygen isn’t transferred as readily.
How is the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial MEASURED (not calculated)?
It is measured directly from arterial blood.
How is the normal A-a gradient calculated?
A-a = (Age / 4) + 4
Why is a very high A-a gradient not a good sign?
Because that means that the alveolar oxygen is being poorly perfused to the arterial system.
What are the causes of hypoxemia with a normal A-a gradient? Describe them.
Decreased inspired oxygen – Lower alveolar O2 at high elevations.
Hypoventilation – Build up of CO2 in the arterial system which lowers BOTH arterial and alveolar O2
What are the causes of hypoxemia with a large A-a gradient? Describe them.
Diffusion abnormality – Poor diffusion of O2 into arterial system
VQ mismatch – Ventilation (V) and/or Perfusion (Q) is impaired.
Anatomic shunt - bronchiole leading to alveoli is occluded–> poorly oxygenated blood mixes with oxygenated blood in the pulmonary system
What is the equation for “Oxygen Index (OI)?” What does it tell you?
OI= [(mean airway pressure x FI (o2) x100)] / Pa(O2)
This is another way to measure the oxygenation function of the lungs.
Why does the partial pressure of arterial CO2 go down in patient with mild or moderate lung disease? What happens in severe lung disease?
Patients will hyperventilate to maintain oxygen levels. The levels of CO2 will eventually rise in more severe/continued lung disease.
How can alveolar ventilation be increased? (2)
Increase total minute ventilation
Decrease dead space ventilation
What is the “minute ventilation (Vm)?” What factors are directly related to it? (Think about the equation)
The minute ventilation is the volume of air moved in and out of the entire lung per unit time.
Tidal Volume (Vt) and Respiratory Rate/breath frequency (f) are directly related to Minute Ventilation
(Vm= Vt x f)
What is the difference between minute ventilation and alveolar ventilation?
Minute ventilation - Volume of oxygen that moves in/out of the ENTIRE respiratory system per minute.
Alveolar ventilation - Volume of oxygen that participates moves in/out of the ALVEOLAR system per minute.
What is the equation for minute ventilation? Alveolar ventilation (VA)?
Vm = Tidal Volume (Vt) x (f) breathing frequency
VA= Volume of CO2 in alveoli (VCO2) / Fraction of exhaled alveolar CO2
What does the Deadspace (Vd/Vt) ratio tell us? What happens to this ratio during exercise?
The deadspace tells us how much of the tidal volume is actually being used in respiration.
The ratio decreases during exercise due to the increase in tidal volume and overall decrease in physiologic deadspace. So more tidal is being utilized in respiration.