Respiratory Flashcards
The exchange of gases between the alveoli and capillaries in the lungs is?
External respiration
A factor which promotes external respiration is?
A short diffusion distance between alveolus & the capillary
Carbon dioxide is mostly transported in the blood?
As bicarbonate ions
The most powerful respiratory stimulant is?
Rising CO2 in the blood
The test that measures HCO3- and calculates pH, and measures PCO2 & PO2?
Is the arterial blood gas
Haemoglobin releases oxygen more readily to tissues that are?
Low in pH
The airway(s) that dilate under the influence of the sympathetic nervous system are
The bronchioles
The work of breathing is decreased by?
Lungs that are compliant
Quiet exhalation involves?
Elastic recoil of the lungs
What structures make up the upper respiratory tract?
Nasal cavity, pharynx, nasopharynx, oropharynx, laryngopharynx & larynx
Describe the pharynx?
Pharynx = the throat
Describe the laryngopharynx?
- Passage for food and air
Describe the Larynx?
- Passage way for air
- Contains vocal cords
- Initiates cough reflex
- Mechanisms which control epiglottis
What is the epiglottis?
Held open during breathing and is pulled back during swallowing
What is the Trachea?
A tubular passage for air
What triggers coughing in the trachea?
The mucosa at the carina is extremely sensitive and it triggers coughing when a foreign object touches it
Describe the Bronchi-air conduction
Primary bronchi, secondary bronchi, tertiary bronchi and bronchioles
Describe the Primary bronchi
Rings of C-shaped cartilage prevent the bronchi from collapsing.
Describe the secondary bronchi
Supply the lobes of each lung
• 3 on right
• 2 on left
Rings of cartilage replaced by strips of cartilage
Describe the tertiary bronchi
- Supply the segments within the lobes of each lung
- Strips of cartilage.
Describe the bronchioles
Connect the tertiary bronchi (conduction zone) to the respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts and alveoli (gas exchange).
What does surfactant do?
Prevents a thin watery liquid film lining the surface of alveoli exerting a force called surface tension
Prevents the alveoli from collapsing
What is lung tissue made out of?
Elastic connective tissue
What are the three pleural membranes of the lungs?
Visceral pleura - covers the lung
Parietal pleura - Lines the wall of the thoracic cavity
Pleura cavity - contains serous fluid
The structures that deflect air as it passes through the nose are called:
Conchae
The anatomical division of the pharynx that is located behind the mouth form the soft palate above to the level of the hyoid bone below is called the:
Oropharynx
The structure in the neck known as the “Adam’s apple” is the:
Thyroid cartilage
The eustachian tube connects the middle ear with the?
Nasopharynx
The small, leaf-shaped cartilage behind the tongue and hyoid bone is the?
Epiglottis
The smallest branches of the bronchial tree are?
Bronchioles
The function of surfactant is to?
Prevent each alveolus from collapsing as air moves in and out during respiration.
Cellular respiration occurs in the?
Mitochondria
The small openings in the cribriform plate function to?
Allow branches of the olfactory nerve to enter the cranial cavity and reach the brain.
Ciliated cells lining the respiratory tract help?
Move the mucus blanket toward the pharynx.
Which muscles are used for forced expiration?
Abdominal muscles and internal intercostals
Vital capacity is defined as the?
Maximum volume of air that can be moved into and out of the lungs during forced respiration.
The diaphragm is stimulated by which nerve?
The phrenic nerve
The muscles involved in normal inspiration are?
The external intercostals and the diaphragm
Carbon dioxide is transported in blood by which of the following ways
As bicaronate ions, dissolved in plasma and bound to haemoglobin
Chemoreceptors are most sensitive to?
Small increases in PCO2 levels
The rate and depth of breathing is controlled by the:
Medulla oblongata and pons
Functions of the respiratory system?
- Supplies oxygen and remove carbon dioxide
- Filters warms and humidifies air
- Regulation of pH
- Olfaction (sense of smell)
- Voice production
- Respiratory pump for venous and lymph return
What are the air passages to the alveoli
- Nose
- Pharynx (nasopharynx, oropharynx, laryngopharynx)
- Larynx
- Trachea
- Bronchi
- Bronchioles
- Terminal bronchioles ( to alveoli)
What is the nose divided into?
External nose and nasal cavity (internal portion)
What is the trachea?
Passage way for air
What is the oesophagus?
Passage way for food
What are the protective mechanisms of the nasal cavity?
- Filters and traps dust, bacteria and debris
- Lined by mucus membranes
What is the epiglottis?
Elastic cartilage that acts as a switching mechanism to cover the pathway to the trachea when u are swallowing. It is held open when breathing and pulled back during swallowing
Why are there so many blood vessels in the nose?
To help warm the incoming air to body temperature (it can also cool the air within a degree)
What are the functions of the larynx?
- Passage way for air
- Epiglottis
- Contains vocal cords
- Initiates cough reflex
What is the glottis?
Consists of vocal cords and space between them
Describe the correct anatomical structures of the bronchioles?
- Contains smooth muscles and no cartilage
- Under sympathetic and parasympathetic control to increase or decrease the diameter to modify airflow
Describe the correct anatomical structures of the trachea?
- Contains C shape ring of cartilage
- Extends from the larynx and branches into the two primary bronchi
- Lined with ciliated pseudo-stratified columnal epithelium
- Protects and maintains patency of airflow
Describe the correct anatomical structures of the larynx?
- Provides a passage for air
- Contains the vocal folds to produce sound
- Enables cough reflex to prevent anything other than air from entering the lower respiratory system
- Contains the epiglottis to prevent food and water passing into the trachea
Describe the correct anatomical structures of the Nasal cavity?
- Warms, moistens and filters inspired air
- Contain olfactory epithelium to detect smell
- Serves as a resonating chamber for speech
Lies over roof of mouth - Lined by mucus membranes
Define lung compliance
Ease at which lungs and thorax expand on inspiration
Define lung recoil
Ease at which lungs and thorax return to resting position on expiration
Define airway resistance
Resistance to airflow through the respiratory tract during inhalation and exhalation
Identify four factors that could increase airway resistance
- Bronchoconstriction of bronchial smooth muscles
- Mucus or secretion in airway
- Narrowed airways from oedema
- Alveolar collapse
During quiet inhalation which muscles contract?
External intercostals and diaphragm
During quiet exhalation which muscles contract?
None
During forced inhalation which muscles contract?
External intercostals & diaphragm plus scalene sternocleidomastoid and pectorails
During forced exhalation which muscles contract?
Abdominals and internal intercostals
The structures that deflect air as it passes through the nose are called?
Conchae
The anatomical division of the pharynx that is located behind the mouth from the soft palate above to the level of the hyoid bone below is called the:
Oropharynx
The structure in the neck known as the “Adam’s apple” is called the?
Thyroid cartilage
The eustachian tube connects the middle ear with the:
Nasopharynx
The small, leaf-shaped cartilage behind the tongue and hyoid bone is the:
Epiglottis.
The smallest branches of the bronchial tree are:
Bronchioles
Gas exchange, the lungs’ main and vital function, takes place in the:
Alveoli
The function of surfactant is to:
Prevent each alveolus from collapsing as air moves in and out during respiration.
What does the cribriform plate do?
It separates the nasal and cranial cavities.
Cellular respiration occurs:
In the mitochondria
The small openings in the cribriform plate function to
Allow branches of the olfactory nerve to enter the cranial cavity and reach the brain.
Ciliated cells lining the respiratory tract:
Help move the mucus blanket toward the pharynx.
Anatomically, how does the right bronchus differ from the left bronchus, and what effect might this have on the aspiration of objects?
The right bronchus is slightly larger and more vertical than the left. This anatomical fact helps explain why aspirated foreign objects frequently lodge in the right bronchus.
What aspects of the structure of lung tissue make efficient gas exchange possible?
The enormous surface area and the respiratory membrane, where the very thin-walled alveoli and equally thin-walled pulmonary capillaries make possible extremely rapid diffusion of gases between alveolar air and pulmonary capillary blood
Vital capacity is defined as the:
Maximum volume of air that can be moved into and out of the lungs during forced respiration.
The muscles involved in normal inspiration are:
The external intercostals and the diaphragm
Carbon dioxide is transported in blood by which of the following ways
As bicaronate ions, dissolved in plasma and bound to haemoglobin
The rate and depth of breathing is controlled by the:
Medulla oblongata and pons
Define lung compliance
The ease with which the lungs and thoracic wall can be expanded
Describe two influences on lung compliance
- Elasticity of lung tissue with inspiration
- Surface tension inside the alveoli
