Respiratory lab Flashcards
Step 1 of mechanics of breathing
The intercostal muscles contract, pulling the ribs up, and the diaphragm contracts and moves down, pulling air into the body through the mouth or nostrils.
Step 2
Air passes through the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and laryngopharynx then by the epiglottis, which prevents food from entering the trachea.
Step 3
The trachea contains tiny hair-like cilia and mucus that catch any particles in the air that could be
harmful to the lungs, and moves them back up the trachea to be spit out.
Step 4
Air moves down the trachea, which branches into the right and left main bronchi, to the left and right
lobar bronchi, then to the segmental bronchi.
Step 5
The bronchi continue to branch, much like an upside-down tree, into smaller limbs called bronchioles.
Step 6
The bronchioles branch to the terminal and respiratory bronchioles end in tiny clusters of air sacs
called alveoli where gas exchange will occur.
Step 7
Alveoli have extremely thin membranes surrounded by pulmonary capillaries from the cardiovascular
system. An adult has approximately 300 million alveoli in the lungs for gas exchange
Step 8
Oxygen that has been pulled into the alveoli diffuse through the alveoli membrane and into the
capillaries to be circulated throughout the body for cellular respiration
Step 9
Carbon dioxide that has been created by the body through cellular respiration is brought by the
capillaries to the alveoli and diffuses into the alveoliS
Step 10
The diaphragm relaxes, moving up and causing air in the alveoli to be exhaled.
Pulse oximitry
Clips on finger-measures pulse and blood O2 with light
Atrial blood gas level
Draw blood from arty and measures o2 and co2
Chest X-ray
Internal picture of thoracic area.
looks for abnormalities such as fluid or air in the pleura. Can see collapsed lungs and damaged tissues
Pulmonary function tests (PFTs)
Use device to see how well lungs bring air in and out. Meter that measures air volume moved
Spirometry
a diagnostic device that measures the amount of air you can breathe in and out and the time it takes you to breathe out completely after you take a deep breath
Inhalation principle muscles and function
External intercostals: elevate and expand ribs
Diaphragm: Contracts and moves downward, opening up thoracic cavity.
Accessory muscles of inspiration / forced inspiration
Erector spinae, elevator scap, Traps, sternoclinomastoid
During expiration the process is driven by,
The elasticity of lungs and relaxation of the diaphragm
Accessory muscles of diaphragm
Oblique, rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus
Chronic obtrusive pulmonary disorder (COPD)
Description: Group of lung diseases that cause inflammation of airways and air sacs.
Symptoms: Cough (dry/phlegm), frequent respiratory infections, short of breath, wheezing, chest pressure.
Treatment: Bronchodilator, steroid
Emphysema
Description: Chronic lung disease that causes progressive damage of the alveoli.
Symptoms: Shortness of breath, wheezing, cough w/ mucus, chest pressure, fatigue, blue lips/nails.
Treatment: bronchodilator, steroids
Tuberculosis
Description: Infectious disease caused by MTB (Mycobacterium tuberculosis).
Symptoms: Persistant cough, chest pain, coughing blood/mucus
Treatment: antibiotics
Pneumonia
Description: Infection that enflames airsacs. May fill with fluid
Symptoms: Cough with phlegm, fever, chills, difficulty breathing
Treatment: antibiotics
Lung cancer
Description: Cancer in lungs
Symptoms: coughing blood, wheezing, chest pain.
Treatment: Chemo
Cystic fibrosis
Description: Genetic disorder that affects mucus production in the lungs
Symptoms: labored breathing, burning, fatigue, little inspirations, pulmonary hypertension.
Treatment: Chest wall oscillation
Asthma
Description: swelling of the airways
Symptoms: chronic dry cough and chest pain
Treatment: steroid inhaler
