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
What are the two pathways of blood supply? Explain
Pulmonary vessels:
Responsible for gas exchange
Deoxygenated blood arrives thru pulmonary artery from RV
Arrives at respiratory membrane and becomes oxygenated
Pulmonary veins return oxygenated blood to LA
Bronchial vessels :
Come form systemic circulation
oxygenates the lung tissue itself
What is the conducting system are the sites in the conducting system?
All sites involved in conducting air into the lungs
Nose, nasal, cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchiole, terminal bronchioles
What is the respiratory zone (or lung parenchyma) and what structures does this contain?
Where gas exchange occurs
Respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveolar sacs, alveoli
What is respiration and what does it include?
The exchange of gases between the atmosphere, blood, and cells
Pulmonary ventilation
external respiration
internal respiration
What is pulmonary ventilation, external respiration, internal respiration?
Pulmonary ventilation = breathing (ins. +exp.)
external respiration = lung and pulmonary action
internal respiration= tissues taking up oxygen
Explain inspiration pulmonary ventilation
Air is pulled into the lings when the alveolar pressure is less than the atmospheric pressure
Air is pushed out of the lungs when alveolar pressure is greater than atmospheric pressure
Pressure is controlled by the contraction and relaxation of the diaphragm
Why is it harder to breath at high altitudes?
There is less atmospheric pressure with higher altitude
What structures help in expanding or contracting the thorax?
External intercostal muscles
What is quiet inspiration?
An active process representing normal breathing
Involves the diaphragm and the intercostal muscles
What is forces inspiration?
used in times of extra oxygen need such as exercise
Involves the accessory muscle of inspiration : Sternocleidomastoids, scalenes, pectoralis minor
What is quiet expiration?
a passive process
diaphragm relaxes and raises upwards
What is forced expiration?
Uses obliques and intercostals to contract inwards to help force the air out (make smaller pressurized compartment)
Activated when air movement out of the lungs is impeded
What is external respiration?
exchange of gases between blood and external environment
CO2 removed and O2 gained thru diffusion
Where does external respiration occur?
At the alveoli’s capillary memb
What must be balanced for proper external respiration?
Exchange of gas and blood supply
What are other requirements for external resp.?
must be enough air in the alveoli, blood flow in the capillaries, and hemoglobin to carry the oxygen
What is special about external respiration?
Can compensate for minor imbalances via bronchoconstriction or vasoconstriction of the pulmonary arteries
ex) asthma attack
What is ventilation mismatch?
When ventilation and blood flow are not in an optimal ratio of 0.8 or 80%
occurs in severe lung diseases
What are two anatomical causes of ventilation mismatch? What do mismatches lead to?
Obstruction in the lungs and capillary obstruction
Lead to hypoxemia
What is internal respiration ?
Exchange of gases between blood and cells:
oxygen carried by hemoglobin to systemic circulation
reaches capillaries of various tissues
oxygen diffuses in to cells’ CO2 diffuses in to blood
oxygen then used cellular respiration
What is eupnea?
normal breathing patterns
what is apnea?
breathing that stops
What is dyspnea?
shortness of breath
What is tachypnea?
rapid breathing
(distress not exercise-induced)
What is costal breathing?
forced inhalation (using accessory msucles)
What is diaphragmatic breathing?
using abdominal muscles to breath
What is type 1 respiratory failure?
The inability of lungs to preform adequate gas exchange
What are the potential causes of Typ1 resp failure?
Lung disorder (asthma , COPD)
Pneumonia
Pulmonary- edema, fibrosis, embolism, HTN
What does Type 1 resp failure lead to?
hypoxemia
O2 saturation falls to below 90%
CO2 levels remain normal or can be low
What does a person with hypoxemia look like?
Drowsy, shortness of breath, fast HR, confusion, cyanosis
What is type 2 respiratory failure?
Occurs when breathing is not sufficient tot rid the body of CO2
sometimes called ventilatory failure
CO2 excretion less than CO2 production
What are the potential causes of Type 2 respiratory failure?
Decreased CNS drive, impaired neuromuscular fxn, chronic bronchitis or COPD, excessive inspiratory load
What does type 2 respiratory failure lead to?
hypercapnia = too much CO2
What can type 2 respiratory failure eventually lead to?
hypoxemia, CNS depression, respiratory acidosis
What are used to determine acid-base balance? What is this useful to us?
Arterial blood gases
They help us determine the causes of respiratory issues
What is blood ph controlled by?
the action of the lungs and the kidneys
What is PaCO2?
The pressure or tension exerted by dissolved CO2 gas in blood
What is PaO2?
Indicates the level of oxygenation of arterial blood