Respiratory Flashcards
What are the structures in the upper respiratory tract?
Nose and nasal cavity
Paranasal sinuses
Pharynx
Larynx
What are the structures in the lower respiratory tract?
Trachea
Bronchi and small bronchioles
Lungs and alveoli
What are the main fxns of the nose and nasal cavity?
Airway for respiration
Moistens and warms air
Filters the inhaled air
Contains olfactory receptors (for smell)
Involved in speech
What is said about the mouth as an air passageway?
The mouth is a shorter passageway
No moistening
More efficient to get the air
ex) swimming
What are the paranasal sinuses?
The air containing cavities in the skull
Lined with mucous membrane
There are 4
What are the functions of the paranasal sinuses?
Decrease the weight of the skull
increase resonance of the voice
buffer against facial trauma
insulates sensitive structures from rapid temperature fluctuations
humidifies and heats air
immunological defense
What is the pharynx and what are the structures within the pharynx? What do these structures do?
The upper part of the throat
Nasopharynx (nasopharyngeal and tubal tonsil)
- simply an air passageway
- closes when swallowing
Oropharynx (palatine and lingual tonsils)
- Food and air passageway
- epiglottis closes during inspiration to prevent aspiration
Laryngopharynx
- connects the throat to the esophagus
- extends to branching of respiratory (layrngela) and digestive (esophageal) pathways
What does the larynx do?
Connects the laryngopharynx to the trachea
Contains the vocal cords
Thyroid gland sits on the outside of the larynx
What are the main functions of the larynx?
Protective fxn
Aids in coughing and other reflexes
Prevents food and fluid from entering the lungs
True of False: the cause of laryngitis is not only due to inflammation
True, laryngitis can arise from vocal cord strain
What do the bronchi and the bronchioles do?
They contain mucus and cilia to remove contaminants
Can constrict or dilate to modify airflow
What are the level categorization of bronchi?
Primary is the closest to the esophagus
secondary is branches from the primary
tertiary branch from the secondary
the terminal bronchioles are respiratory and they are at the very end
How many lobes are in the right and left lung?
Right has three; left has two
The left has two to make space for the heart
Explain the surface structures of the lungs
There are oblique and horizontal fissures present
They are also covered by visceral pleura
Pleura help with inspiration and expiration
What is pleurisy?
inflammation of the lungs
What are the ribs and diaphragm covered by?
parietal pleura
What is the space between the lungs and ribs called?
pleural cavity
What are in alveoli? How many are on the respiratory bronchioles?
Type 1 cells (squamous epithelium)
Type 2 cells (cuboidal epithelium)
- contain lamellar bodies that secrete surfactant
Alveolar macrophages
There are millions on the bronchioles
Why are surfactants important?
They are a fatty substance that decreases alveolar surface tension and helps prevent alveolar collapse
Otherwise they would stick together
What do alveolar macrophages do?
They are the janitors of the alveoli and bronchioles
Carbon, dust, etc
Explain the gas exchange that occurs in the capillaries that surround the alveoli
CO2 diff out of the blood and into the alveoli for exhalation
O2 diff out of the alveoli and into the blood
Alv type 1 cell -> alveolar basement memb -> capillary basement memb, capillary endothelial cells
How is the respiratory membrane affected in chronic bronchitis? emphysema?
Bronchitis: xs mucus and inflammation at the bronchioles
reduced airflow
emphysema: cells are not affected
thin alveolar walls and less elastic
What is compliance and the consequences of poor compliance?
Stretching that governs inhalation
There would be a problem getting air in
(restrictive disease)
What is elasticity and the consequences of poor elasticity?
Facilitates expiration; it is the recoil and the spring back
CO2 air would be trapped and it can’t get out
Seen in asthma and COPD