Respiration Lectures Flashcards
Describe the pressure differences in inspiration
Patmos is greater than Palv so air moves in to the lungs
Describe the pressure differences in expiration
Palv is greater then Patmos so air is forced out of the lungs
What are the 3 factors which must be overcome for ventilation to occur?
1) Elastic recoil of tissues
2) Surface tension in the alveoli
3) Airway resistance - how easy is it to inflate and deflate the lungs
Describe how a vacuum is formed in the lungs when at rest
The inside of the chest has a subatmospheric pressure creating a relative vacuum
The chest wall would tend to expand whereas the elastic nature of the lungs would tend to cause them to collapse inwards
These two forces balance so as a result pressure in the interpleural space is lower than atmospheric pressure.
What is compliance
The measure of distensibility
What is the equation for compliance?
compliance = change in volume / change in pressure
What could low compliance mean?
The patient has to work harder to inspire
What is pulmonary fibrosis?
The lung parenchyma is more rigid meaning that there is low compliance and the patient has to work harder to inspire
What could a high compliance mean?
Difficulty in expiring due to loss of elastic recoil
Name a disease which causes high compliance?
Emphysema
What is the transmeural pressure when the lungs collapse down to their residual volume?
0
What happens in the lungs if the volume is greater than the full residual capacity?
The elastic forces in the lung favouring collapse are higher. The forces on the chest wall for expansion also decrease so the overall system collapses
How does FRC change in patients change in emphysema?
It increases due to the higher compliance
What are the two major components of elastic recoil?
The anatomical component (the nature of the cells and their extracellular matrix)
Elastic recoil also occurs due to surface tension which is generated at the air-water interface
What does Laplace’s equation explain?
The relationship between the gas and surface tension at the gas/water border
What is Laplace’s equation?
Pressure = 2T / r T= tension on the alveolus r = radius
Why are smaller alveolar sacs likely to collapse?
Because of Laplace’s equation the pressure in larger sacs is lower than smaller sacs. Air will flow from smaller alveolar to larger ones, leading to their collapse
How is the problem of alveolar sacs being likely to collapse overcome?
Surfactant is produced
Which cells produce surfactant?
Type 11 pneumocytes
What is surfactant composed of?
35 to 40% dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) 35 to 40% other phospholipids 5 to 10% protein (SP - A,B,C and D) Cholesterols Trace amount of other substances
What are the roles of the proteins in surfactant?
A - soluble in water, role in innate immunit
B and C - soluble in lipids, role in spreading up the formation of the monolayer
D - soluble in water, role in innate immunity
How does surfactant act to reduce surface tension?
It decreases the density of water molecules at the air-water interface
The hydrophobic tail pulls the surfactant molecule upwards so the resultant vector is minimal
What three factors have a role in determining airflow?
Type of airflow, resistance of the pathway, pressure gradients generated across the airways
In laminar flow what is the movement of air proportional to?
It is proportional to the pressure gradient and inversely proportional to the resistance
In turbulent flow what is the movement of air proportional to?
The square root of the pressure difference
What is used to determine flow type?
Reynolds number
If Re <1000 = laminar flow
If Re is between 1000 to 1500 flow is unstable switching between laminar and turbulent
If Re is >1500 = turbulent flow
What does Poiseulle’s law determine?
The impact of resistance on flow
What is the equation for poiseulle’s law?
R = (8/ pie) x (nl/r^4)
Airway is resistance is proportional to gas viscosity and the length of the tube but is inversely proportional to the fourth power of the radius
What do the individual sections of the airways contribute to resistance?
Pharynx to the larynx - 40%
Airways >2mm diameter - 40%
Airways <2mm diameter - 20%
What factors can impact on airway diameter?
Increased mucus secretion will effectively reduce airway diameter = increased resistance
Oedema- increased fluid retention in the lung tissue will cause swelling and narrowing of the airways = increased resistance