Respiratory Flashcards
What forms the anatomic dead space? Why is it called this?
“Conducting Airways” generation 1-16, consisting of the trachea, bronchi, and non-respiratory bronchioles. This area holds 150mL (1/3 of normal tidal volume) in volume (30% of the breath) and does not participate in gas exchange, only transports oxygen “bulk movers”
How much volume can the lungs hold? What is the surface area?
4L
82 m^2 (most of this is alveolar space)
What is going on in the respiratory zone/unit? What is it made up of?
Generation 17-23, consists of respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, and alveloar sacs. This is where diffusion occurs, there is little forward movement of air
Type 1 vs. Type 2 alveolar cells?
Type 1: takes up most of the surface area (98%), site for gas exchange and diffusion (type 1 cells’ membranes are fused with capillary endothelium)
Type 2: found in the corners of the alveolus, occupies a small surface area, main function is secreting/synthesizing SURFACTANT
What is the function of surfactant in the lungs?
Surfactant is synthesized by type 2 alveolar cells, it reduces surface tension and can help regenerate alveoli after injury. Surfactant is the reason that the alveoli are never COMPLETELY closed
Moving from trachea to alveoli, what occurs with surface area, pressure gradient, and flow/velocity?
As cross sectional area increases, pressure gradient and velocity of flow decreases so that gas exchange can occur
Flow = Volume / Time
Pressure = Force / Area
What is the function of the upper airway (nose to larynx)?
humidity, warm, and filter
What are the major and accessory muscles of inspiration?
Major is diaphragm, allows for expansion of the lung downwards
Accessory are external intercostals, allowing for anterior and posterior expansion, and the scalenes, picking up the first and second rib, allowing for expansion upwards, and SCM moves sternum forward
What area of the lung is a potential space? What does this mean?
Parietal layer, if air were to go here it would be a pneumothorax
Is exhalation active or passive? What muscles are involved?
Exhalation is PASSIVE
Rectus abdominis, other abdominal muscles, oblique muscles, as well as internal intercostals
How is the work of breathing related to pressure and change in volume?
Work = pressure x change in volume
Restrictive vs. Obstructive lung disease
Restrictive: example is obese, this person has decreased compliance
Obstructive: example is COPD, this person has good compliance
What are collagen and elastin?
Collagen: major structural component of lung that limits lung distensibility
Elastin: major contributor to elastic recoil of the lung
Which 2 forces want to pull lungs to collapse?
alveolar surface tension and lung elasticity
During inspiration and expiration, when is the lowest and highest intrapulmonary pressure reached?
Lowest pressure reached halfway into inspiration
Highest pressure reached halfway into expiration
TLC, VC, RV?
TLC: total lung capacity, total volume that can be in a lung
VC: vital capacity, total exhaled from max inhale to max exhale
RV: residual volume, air remaining/”trapped” in the lung after VC
TLC = VC + RV
FRC, ERV?
FRC: functional residual capacity, volume of air in the lung at the end of exhalation during quiet breathing (resting volume of the lung)
ERV: expiratory reserve volume, volume of air that can be exhaled from resting exhale to max exhale
FRC = ERV + RV
RV:TLC ratio tells us what?
How much air is trapped, normal is 25%
In patients with obstructive diseases, RV increases
In patients with restrictive lung diseases, TLC decreases
What value is effected during preoxygenation?
FRC
Which values are static and measured by spirometry?
Tital volume and vital capacity (VC)
Which values are non-static, measured by a gas dilution technique such as helium spirometer or plethysmography?
TLC (total lung capacity), FRC (functional residual), RV (residual volume)
Boyle’s Law: What is happening during inspiration and expiration?
pressure and volume are inversely proportional
Inspiration: air coming in expands the alveoli, volume increases (inspiration muscles are active), pressure decreases
During expiration, elastic recoil causes volume to decrease, therefore pressure increases
What are examples of expiration becoming active?
Asthma, hyperventilation, playing a wind instrument
What happens to the flow volume loop in restrictive and obstructive lung disease?
Restrictive: smaller area of loop
Obstructive: bottom of the loop is normal (inhale is normal), top of the loop is decreased (exhale abnormal)
When comparing the base and apex of the lung, during ventilation, which has a higher volume, where is the pressure more negative?
At the apex, intrapleural pressure is more negative, and there is more volume (bc gravity and Boyle’s law, the base is compressed)
Normally, base ventilation per unit volume is BETTER (base pressure is high, base volume is low)
Where in the airway is flow laminar vs. turbulent? What is the equation?
laminar in the distal bronchioles, further down the airway
turbulent in the trachea and large airways (conducting airway)
Reynold’s number = (density x diameter x velocity) / viscocity
Less than 2000 is laminar
In cases with increased airway resistance, such as asthma, what happens to velocity of flow and pressure?
More pressure is needed to keep up flow, but velocity/flow is ultimately reduced
Flow= change in P / R
Where is resistance the highest in the airway? What does breathing a dense gas do to resistance?
Medium sized bronchi
Breathing a dense gas increases resistance
What is the equation for Poiseuille’s Law? V=
V = (Pi x Pressure x r^4) / (8 x viscocity x length)
What do forced expiration, beta2 blockers, acetylcholine, and histamine all do to resistance of the airway?
INCREASE resistance
How is compliance measured using volume and pressure?
Compliance = change in volume / change in pressure
What are examples of increased and decreased compliance?
Increased: aging, obstructive lung disease, asthma, emphysema
Decreased: restrictive lung disease, pulm fibrosis, alveolar edema, atelectasis, hypoventilated lungs, increased pulmonary venous pressure
In emphysema and aging, what happens to the alveoli regarding compliance and recoil?
INCREASED compliance (overstretched), DECREASED recoil (this makes expiration ACTIVE instead of passive)
Surfactant: what secretes it, what does it do, and what is it composed of?
Secreted by Type 2 alveolar cells, it reduces surface tension and is most effective in low lung volumes (hysteresis), it increases compliance
It is composed of phospholipid/fats, acid, protein
What law/equation is used to measure surface tension?
LaPlace’s Law, shows that surfactant lowers surface tension
Pressure = (4 x surface tension) / radius
What are the three main goals of respiration?
- minimize workload (pressure x volume)
- maintain gas exchange
- regulate CO2
Where are the DRG (dorsal resp group) and VRG (ventral resp group) located and what do they do?
DRG: dorsomedial medulla, specifically the NTS (nucleus of tractus solitarius), signals received from CN 9 and 10 to control INSPIRATION
VRG: ventrolateral medulla, specifically in the nucleus retroambiguus, EXPIRATION (and some inspiration). Note: this area is usually quiet bc expiration should be passive
Pneumotaxic center: where is it located and what is its job?
Part of the respiratory control center, located in the pons, responsible for the rate and depth of ventilation
What is the Hering Bauer Reflex?
It is an example of the VRG, so it is located in the ventral medulla, it is a inspiratory inhibitory reflex responding to stretch receptors to stop inspiration and cause early exhalation (this is a way to increase respiratory rate)