Respiratory Flashcards
what is the average minute volume
5 L of air per minute
what is the transpulmonary pressure (Ptp)
difference in pressure between the inside and outside of the lung = alveolar pressure - intrapleural pressure
what is intrapleural pressure (Pip)
pressure in the pleural space aka intrathoracic pressure
what is the alveolar pressure (Palv)
air pressure in pulmonary alveoli
what initiates inspiration
neurally induced contraction of diaphragm and ext intercostal muscles
how do ext intercostal muscles increase thoracic volume
activation of motor neurons cause contraction = upwards and outwards movement of ribs
what occurs as the thorax expands
- intrapleural pressure lowers
- transpulmonary pressure becomes more positive
- results in lung expansion as Ptp is becoming greater than elastic recoil exerted by lungs
why does air enter the lungs in inspiration
alveolar pressure becomes negative = inward airflow
at the end of inspiration why is there no airflow
alveolar pressure = atmospheric pressure
what initiates expiration
motor neurones to diaphragm and ext intercostal muscles stop firing = relax
why do the lungs passively collapse
relaxation causes intrapleural pressure to increase
+ decrease transpulmonary pressure = elastic recoil stronger so lungs collapse
how is air expelled from alveoli
reducing lungs = alveoli compressed = increase alveolar pressure = exceeds atmospheric pressure so air flows outward
what type of process is expiration at rest
passive
what is required during exercise
forced expiration
what occurs in forced expiration
- internal intercostals + abdo muscles also contract = increase intra-abdominal pressure
- ribs move down and in = force diaphragm further into thorax = decrease thoracic volume
what provides the greatest airways resistance
trachea bc smallest surface area
what is dead space
volume of air not contributing to ventilation = 175mls in total
what is the total combined area for gas exchange
40-100m squared
what are the 7 layers for gas exchange
- alveolar tissue
- tissue interstitium
- capillary endothelium
- plasma layer
- red cell membrane
- red cell cytoplasm
- Hb binding
what is ventilation-perfusion matching
to be most efficient = proportion of alveolar airflow and capillary blood flow to an area of the lung should be equal
what is the effect of V-P mismatch
pO2 will decrease and pCO2 will increase in systemic-arterial blood because not enough ventilation for perfusion
why is naturally some V-P mismatch
gravitational effects = increase filling of blood vessels at bottom of lung
what is hypoxic vasoconstriction
blood is diverted to better ventilated parts of the lung = unique to pulmonary vessels
what are 2 responses to V-P mismatch
hypoxic vasoconstriction and local bronchoconstriction
where does the control of breathing come from
medulla oblongata
what do the neurons of the dorsal respiratory group do
- fire during inspiration
- lead to contraction of inspiratory muscles
- lungs fill at constant rate
- end of inspiration = rapid decrease in excitation of inspiratory muscles
where is the respiratory rhythm generator located
in the pre-Botzinger complex of neurons in the upper part of the ventral respiratory group
what is the respiratory rhythm generator
pacemaker cells/neural network that set the basal respiratory rate
what is found in the pons
pneumotaxic centre
apneustic centre
what is the role of the pneumotaxic centre
inhibits apneustic centre
promotes expiration
can switch off inspiratory neurons to prevent hyperinflation
what is the role of the apneustic centre
stimulates the dorsal respiratory group
increases intensity of inhalation
what do the neurons of the ventral respiratory group do
- stimulated by DRG
- involved in inspiration and expiration
- stimulate accessory muscles of expiration
what do the mechano/chemoreceptors in the larynx do
inhibit central controller - medullary respiratory centre
what do the receptors in the pharynx do
receptors activated by swallowing to stop respiratory activity and protect against aspiration
name 3 myelinated pulmonary receptors
slowly adapting stretch (SASR)
rapidly adapting stretch (RASR)
irritant
name a non-myelinated pulmonary receptor
C fibres J receptors
what are SASR’s
- activated by lung distension
- high activity inhibits further inspiration = begin expiration
- if inflation maintained then slowly adapt to low frequency firing
what are RASR’s
- activated by lung distention
- produce brief burst of activity at onset of stimulus
- high activity causes bronchoconstriction
where are C fibres J receptors found
in capillary walls/interstitium
where are SASR’s found
in airway smooth muscle
where are RASR’s found
between airway epithelial cells
what are C fibres J receptors
- stimulated by increase in interstitial fluid
2. results in rapid, shallow breathing/bronchoconstriction
when might C fibres J receptors be stimulated
during vascular congestion = occlusion of pulmonary vessel/left ventricular heart failure/strenuous activity
what is the effect of neural input from j receptors
gives rise to sensations of pressure in chest = feels like breathing is difficult
where are the peripheral chemoreceptors found
bifurcation of common carotid arteries and arch of aorta = carotid bodies and aortic bodies
what are peripheral chemoreceptors stimulated by
decrease pO2 and increase H+ conc
where are type 2 cells found and what do they do
located on carotid sinus
release stored neurotransmitters on detection of hypoxia = stimulate carotid sinus nerve
what is the predominant peripheral chemoreceptor involved in control of respiration
carotid body input
when do peripheral chemoreceptors fire
only when pO2 is below 90%
what are the 3 effects of peripheral chemoreceptor stimulation
- increase resp rate and tidal volume
- direct blood flow towards kidneys and brain
- increase CO to maintain blood flow
where are the central chemoreceptors located
in the medulla
what do central chemoreceptors detect
changes in arterial pCO2 = more sensitive
what are the effects of central chemoreceptors
increase pCO2 = increase ventilation
decrease pCO2 = decrease ventilation
how are pCO2 changes detected by central chemoreceptors
- higher CO2 in blood = higher H+ but H+ impermeable to BBB
- CO2 diffuse to CSF
- react with CSF H2O = increase H+
- H+ detected by medulla chemoreceptors
what is alveolar recruitment
opening of collapsed alveoli
what is hypoxia
oxygen deficiency at tissue level
paCO2
arterial CO2
PACO2
alveolar CO2
PaO2
arterial O2
PAO2
alveolar O2
PIO2
pressure of inspired O2
VA
alveolar ventilation
VCO2
CO2 production
where does Hb dissociate with O2
in areas of low pO2 = metabolically active tissue
effect of high temperature on oxygen dissociation curve
shift to right = Hb has less affinity for O2
effect of low pH on oxygen dissociation curve
shift to right = Hb has less affinity for O2
effect of carbon monoxide
22x affinity for Hb than O2 = shifts curve to the left = decreases unloading of O2 from Hb to tissues
3 ways CO2 carried in blood
- bound to Hb as carbaminohaemoglobin = 23%
- plasma dissolved = 10%
- as HCO3- = 65%
acid base dissociation equation
CO2 + H2O = H2CO3 = HCO3- + H+
does deoxy or oxyhaemobglobin have a higher affinity for H+
deoxyhaemoglobin
what is Dalton’s law
total pressure = sum of partial pressures
what is Boyle’s law
pressure of a fixed amount of gas in a container is inversely proportional to containers volume P1V1 = P2V2
what is Henry’s law
at equilibrium the pp of gas molecules in liquid and gaseous phases must be identical
what is the alveolar gas equation
PAO2 = PiO2 - PaCO2/R
where R is the resp exchange ratio
what is the respiratory exchange ratio
ratio between amount of CO2 produced in metabolism and O2 used
pressure =
flow x resistance
what is the Law of Laplace
describes the relationship between pressure, surface tension (T) and radius of an alveolus
P = 2T/r
what is lung compliance
Cl = change in lung volume caused by given change in transpulmonary pressure = greater Cl = more readily the lungs expand
what is the significance of type 2 pneumocytes in the alveoli
produce surfactant = reduced cohesive forces between water molecules = lowers surface tension = increase lung compliance
what is the significance of surface tension in the alveoli
= attractive forces between water molecules = resists stretching = lungs require energy to overcome these forces
what is the henderson hasselbach equation
pH = 6.1 + log10 ( [HCO3-]/[0.03 * PCO2] )
what causes respiratory acidosis
hypoventilation = inadequate ventilation of alveoli = CO2 cannot be excreted adequately = pCO2 increase = H+ increase in blood
what causes respiratory alkalosis
hyperventilation = decrease arterial pCO2 = decrease H+ conc
how is acid base balance restored
alter respiratory rate = change pCO2
urinary system change reabsorption/production of HCO3- or H+
4 causes of hypoxia
- hypoventilation
- diffusion impairment
- shunting
- ventilation/perfusion mismatch
what occurs in diffusion impairment
thickening of alveolar membranes or decrease in SA = PaO2 and PAO2 cannot equilibrate
what occurs in shunting
anatomical abnormality
= mixed venous blood bypass ventilated alveoli
= mixed venous blood perfuses unventilated alveoli
what is hypercapnia
CO2 retention and increased PaCO2
what causes hypercapnia
hypoventilation
what occurs in type 1 respiratory failure
pO2 is low
pCO2 is low or normal
hypoxia
what can cause type 1 respiratory failure
pulmonary embolism
what occurs in type 2 respiratory failure
pO2 is low
pCO2 is high
hypercapnia
what causes type 2 respiratory failure
hypoventilation
what is inspiratory reserve volume IRV
amount of air in excess tidal inspiration that can be inhaled with maximum effort