Respiratory Flashcards
Motor Innervation to the Larynx
External branch of the superior laryngeal nerve — Cricothyroid muscle
Recurrent laryngeal nerve - ALL other muscles
What is the major motor nerve of the larynx?
Recurrent laryngeal nerve
What is the major sensory nerve of the larynx?
Internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve
Sensory Innervation to the Larynx
Internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve — vocal cords and UP
Recurrent laryngeal nerve - BELOW the vocal cords
What laryngeal muscle aBDucts the vocal cords?
Posterior cricoarytenoids
What laryngeal muscle tenses/tightens/lengthens the vocal cords?
Cricothyroid
The voice will go up in pitch!
What laryngeal muscle relaxes the vocal cords?
Thyroarytenoids
What laryngeal muscle aDDucts the vocal cords?
Lateral cricoarythenoids
What laryngeal muscle closes rima glottidis?
Transverse arytenoid
What happens with damage to the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve?
Cricothyroid muscle paralysis
Inability to tense the vocal cords
Weakness and huskiness of the voice
What happens with unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve damage?
Hoarseness and 1 paralyzed vocal cord
*This is the most common injury after subtotal thyroidectomy
What happens with bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve damage?
Aphonia and paralyzed vocal cords
Possible airway obstruction during inspiration
*Intubation is required
After a subtotal thyroidectomy, hoarseness may be caused by what 2 things?
- Unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve damage
2. Superior laryngeal nerve damage
After a thyroidectomy, stridor may be caused by what 2 things?
- Hypocalcemia - tensed cords d/t tetany
2. Bilateral damage to recurrent laryngeal nerves
Define P50.
P50 is the partial pressure of oxygen at which Hgb is 50% saturated by oxygen
What is the normal P50?
26-27 mmHg
What SO2s correspond to PO2s?
70% - 40 mmHg — mixed venous blood
80% - 50 mmHg
90% - 60 mmHg — arterial blood
What is the significance of the flat portion of the oxy-hbg dissociation curve?
Facilitates the loading of oxygen by the blood
Pulmonary circulation
Shift Left
What is the significance of the steep portion of the oxy-hgb dissociation curve?
Facilitates the unloading of oxygen at tissues
Systemic circulation
Shift Right
What causes a leftward shift in the oxy-hgb dissociation curve?
Opposite of CADETS Hemoglobin F Carboxyhemoglobin Methemoglobin LEFT LINGERS
What causes a rightward shift in the oxy-hgb dissociation curve?
CADETS to the R...INCREASED CO2 Acidosis DPG 2,3 Exercise Temp Sickle cell (HgbS) Maternal hemoglobin! RIGHT RELEASES
What is the Bohr effect?
How does a change in CO2 shift the oxy-hgb dissociation curve?
Administration of opioids shifts the oxy-hgb dissociation curve in which direction?
Right
Respiratory depression - CO2 accumulates
Is oxygen release from Hgb to the the tissues increased or decreased by acidosis?
By alkalosis?
Acidosis is a shift right - releases - increases O2 delivery
Alkalosis is a shift left - lingers - decreases O2 delivery
*Alkalosis can be worse than acidosis
How do you calculate the amount of dissolved O2 in the blood?
Whose law permits this calculation?
0.003 x PO2
Units: mL O2/100 mL blood
Henry’s Law
What is Henry’s Law?
At a constant temp, the amt of a gas that dissolves in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressures of that gas in equilibrium with that liquid
O2 is carried in the blood in what 2 forms?
- Hemoglobin-bound
2. Dissolved in blood
What is the max O2 carrying capacity of arterial blood if a healthy person is breathing room air?
- 4 mL O2/100 mL blood
20. 1 carried by Hbg + 0.3 dissolved
Switching from room air to 100% O2 causes a small or large increase in the amount of dissolved and hgb-bound oxygen?
Small
(we are talking about a healthy patient)
Patients who have poor perfusion in relation to ventilation (dead space) respond well to O2 therapy
Patients with shunts are less responsive to O2 therapy
Define hypoxia.
PaO2 < 60 mmHg
What is the amount of oxygen carried by each gram of fully saturated Hgb?
1.34 mL O2 per g Hgb
How do you calculate the amount of oxygen bound to Hgb?
- 34 x Hgb x % sat
1. 34 x 15 x 0.9 = 18.1
If SvO2 is 70%, how much oxygen is dissolved in venous blood?
If SvO2 is 70% then PvO2 is 40 mmHg
O2 dissolved = 40 x 0.003 = 0.12
What is the Haldane Effect?
Describes how a change in PO2 influences the blood CO2 dissociation curve
How changes in PO2 in the blood alter the amount of CO2 carried by the blood
Haldane Effect
When PO2 increases, the blood CO2 dissociation curve shifts…
DOWN and to the RIGHT
Unloading of CO2 to the lungs
Pulmonary circulation
Haldane Effect
When PO2 decreases, the blood CO2 dissociation curve shifts…
UP and to the LEFT
Loading of CO2 into the blood
Systemic circulation
What effect does opioid administration have on the blood CO2 dissociation curve?
PO2 decreases with respiratory depression caused by opioids
When PO2 decreases, CO2 dissociation curve shifts UP and to the LEFT
Approx. 90% of the CO2 transported by the blood is in what form?
HCO3
How does CO2 become HCO3 in RBC?
RBC:
CO2 + H2O - carbonic anhydrase - H2CO3 - HCO3 + H
HCO3 then diffuses OUT of the RBC down a concentration gradient
Cl diffuses IN RBC - electroneutrality is maintained
*Chloride Shift aka Hamburger Shift in non-pulmonary capillaries
CO2 is carried in the blood in what 4 forms?
- Dissolved (5%)
- Bound to proteins and hemoglobin (5%)
- As Bicarb (90%)
- As carbonic acid (< 1%)
Chloride Shift aka Hamburger Shift in Pulmonary Capillaries
CO2 diffuses from plasma to alveoli
CO2 diffuses from RBC to plasma
HCO3 diffuses IN RBC
Cl diffuses OUT of RBC
How do you calculate the amount of CO2 dissolved in blood?
PCO2 x 0.0067
Units: Units: mL CO2/100 mL blood
Central chemoreceptors are stimulated by…
Increased H
When CO2 in CSF increases, the H and Bicarb concentrations increase - Le Chatelier’s principle (law of mass action)
What drives respiration?
CO2
*The single most important regulator of alveolar ventilation is PaCO2
Peripheral chemoreceptors are stimulated by…
- Increased PCO2
- Decreased pH (increased H)
- Decreased PaO2 (< 60 mmHg)* most sensitive
* Also by cyanide, doxapram, nicotine
The glossopharyngeal nerve carries sensory impulses from the…
Carotid bodies
The vagus nerve caries sensory impulses from the…
Aortic bodies + stretch receptors found in the lung parenchyma (bronchi or bronchioles)
List the 4 respiratory centers.
- Dorsal Respiratory Group (DRG)
- Ventral Respiratory Group (VRG)
- Pneumotaxic Center (PnC)
- Apneustic Center (ApC)
What is the Dorsal Respiratory Group (DRG) responsible for?
Where is it found?
Basic rhythm of respiration - inspiratory pacemaker!
Controls diaphragm and external intercostal muscles
Found in the medulla
What is the Ventral Respiratory Group (VRG) responsible for?
Where is it found?
Can influence BOTH inspiration and expiration
Comes into play when high levels of ventilation are required
Controls internal intercostal muscles
Found in the medulla
What is the Pneumotaxic and Apneustic Centers responsible for?
Where are they located?
PnC shuts OFF inspiration
PnC is located high in the pons
aka Pontine Respiratory Group (PRG)
ApC promotes deep and prolonged inspiration
ApC is located low in the pons
*Work together to control the RATE and DEPTH of INSPIRATION
Smooth muscle of bronchi and bronchioles has receptors that fire when stretched, which reflexly tends to inhibit inspiration. This is known as the ________ reflex.
What nerve is involved?
Hering-Breuer inflation
Vagus nerve carries this sensory info
*Protective mechanism to prevent excess lung inflation
In adults, the Hering-Breuer reflex does NOT become important until the TV exceeds what?
- 5 L
* In neonates, this reflex is strong and relevant
Where are peripheral chemoreceptors found?
Mostly in the carotid bodies
Also in the aortic bodies
Describe the intrapleural space.
A potential space
Found b/t the parietal pleura of the internal chest wall and the visceral pleura covering the lung
Pressure here is NEGATIVE
Lungs recoils inward and the chest recoils outward
Inward forces = outward forces at FRC
Describe the changes in intrapleural and intrapulmonary pressures during inspiration.
Intrapleural pressure - MORE negative
Intrapulmonary pressure - negative
Suck air IN
Describe the changes in intrapleural and intrapulmonary pressures during expiration.
Intrapleural pressure - LESS negative
Intrapulmonary pressure - positive
Push air OUT
When does intrapleural pressure become positive?
During a forced expiration
During maneuvers such as Valsalva
Since MV is normally 4 L/min and CO is normally 5 L/min, the average V/Q for the lungs is…
0.8
Nondependent vs. Dependent Differences
Nondependent: high V/Q, intrapleural pressure more negative, larger alveoli, PaO2
Dependent: perfusion, ventilation, low V/Q, intrapleural pressure less negative, smaller alveoli, PaCO2
What changes cause a clinically significant mismatch in ventilation and perfusion?
When the patient in the lateral decub position is anesthetized and paralyzed
Nondependent lung is well ventilated BUT poorly perfused (dead space)
Dependent lung is well perfused BUT poorly ventilated (shunt)
What does a V/Q ratio of 0 mean?
Absolute shunt - no ventilation
What does a V/Q ratio of infinity mean?
Absolute deadspacing - no perfusion
True or False
PaO2 ALWAYS decreases when there is a V/Q mismatch.
True
What are 3 causes of low PaO2?
- Low inspired O2
- Hypoventilation
- V/Q mismatching
What is the normal PAO2 to PaO2 gradient when breathing room air?
5-15 mmHg
*Gradient increases when inspired oxygen increases - if 100% O2 gradient should be < 100 mmHg
What is the normal PaCO2 to PACO2 gradient?
2-10 mmHg
*This gradient is independent of the inspired O2 concentration
How do you differentiate between hypoxemia d/t hypoventilation or V/Q mismatch?
Determine the PAO2 to PaO2 (degree of R to L shunt) OR PaCO2 to PACO2 (degree of dead spacing) Gradient
How does the PAO2 to PaO2 gradient vary with age?
Normal PAO2 to PaO2 = 0.21 x (age +2.5)
What represents the average alveolar CO2 (PACO2)?
End-tidal CO2
What is the normal PaO2/PAO2 ratio?
> 0.75
Assess V/Q abnormalities like the gradient
A decrease in this ratio reflects a shunt
*Advantage - not affected by changes in inspired O2
You can estimate the PaO2 in a healthy patient by x % O2 by…
5
%O2 x 5 = PaO2
You can estimate the PAO2 in a healthy patient by x % O2 by…
6
%O2 x 6 = PAO2
What is happening if V/Q is 4?
Deadspace
One-Lung Ventilation
Strategies for Maintaining Arterial Blood O2
Selective non-dependent lung CPAP*
Non-dependent lung CPAP + Dependent lung PEEP
What is the major determinant of regional differences in pulmonary ventilation?
Intrapleural pressure gradient
More negative in non-dependent - alveoli don’t collapse as much - require less air to fill - less compliant
Does a V/Q mismatch have a greater effect on PaO2 or PaCO2?
PaO2
A patient has unilateral lung disease. What position will optimize blood oxygenation?
Lateral decubitus healthy lung dependent
Lateral decubitus healthy lung nondepedent
Supine
Lateral decubitus position with the healthy lung in the dependent position
Does hyperventilation help improve blood oxygenation?
No, hyperventilation does little to improve blood oxygenation d/t the S shape of the oxy-hgb curve - think flat portion: increasing ventilation produces only a small increase in the amount of oxygen in arterial blood
Consider the hgb saturated already
*Hyperventilation does dramatically decrease PaCO2 (linear CO2 dissociation curve)
West Zones of the Lungs
Name the 4 zones.
- Collapse PA > Pa > Pv
- Waterfall Pa > PA > Pv intermittent BF
- Distention Pa > Pv > PA continuous BF
- Interstitial pressure Pa > Pisf > Pv > PA
Name 2 pathological zones of the lung.
Zone 1: NO blood flow, develops with pulmonary hypotension
Zone 4: develops with pulmonary edema
Where should the tip of a Swan-Ganz cath be?
Zone 3
What do West Zones describe?
Perfusion
Are West Zones “fixed” zones?
NO, they are variable, functional zones
The FRC is a reservoir for…
O2
Pre-oxygenation with 100% O2 for 5 min can furnish up to ___ minutes of oxygen reserve following apnea.
10
What is the most common reason for not achieving a max alveolar FiO2 during pre-oxygenation?
Loose-fitting mask
What is oxygen consumption (VO2)?
What is the total quantity of O2 delivered to and used by the tissues each min?
250 mL O2/min
3-4 mL O2/kg/min
0.3-0.4 mL O2/100g/min
*Oxygen delivery matches oxygen consumption
In response to ALVEOLAR hypoxia, the blood vessels _________. This effectively decreases _________. What is the name of this mechanism?
Constrict
Shunt
Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction (HPV)
What are some drugs that inhibit HPV?
Direct-acting vasodilators - nitroprusside, nitroglycerine, hydralazine
Volatile agents > 1 MAC