Respiratory Compliance Topic 4 – Midterm Flashcards
what is Respiratory Compliance
measure of the ease with which the lungs can expand and contract during the respiratory cycle
A compliant lung is…
one that can expand and contract easily
A less compliant lung is ….
one that is more difficult to inflate and deflate
The compliance of the lung can be influenced by several factors, including….
the elasticity of the lung tissue
the surface tension of the alveolar fluid
airway resistance
what lung conditions can reduce lung compliance
emphysema or fibrosis, can make it more difficult for the lungs to expand and contract, and can lead to breathing difficulties.
Increase compliance can be caused by lung conditions like …..
Asthma
COPD
“Decreased compliance” requires a large change in pressure to increase lung volume compared to “increased compliance” which only requires a small change in pressure to increase lung volume by the same amount
what is Elastic recoil
Refers to how readily the lungs rebound after having been stretched
Elastic recoil depends on two factors
Highly elastic connective tissue in the lungs
Alveolar surface tension
what are the 2 types of alveolar epithelial cells
Type I: flat for gas exchange
Type II: secretes surfactant
what is the function of surfactant
reduces surface tension on alveoli
what is Pulmonary Surfactant consist of
Complex mixture of lipids and proteins secreted by the Type II alveolar cells
two benefits of surfactant
Reduces work of the lungs
Reduces recoil pressure of smaller alveoli more than larger alveoli
what is the law of laplace
P=2T/R
why is surfactant important
surfactant equalizes the pressure between the two alveoli regardless of radius.
