Respiratory Overview

Question 1

what are the 2 components of the respiratory system?

Answer 1

ventilation and gas exchange

Question 2

what does ventilation need?

Answer 2

airway patency and active muscles

Question 3

what does gas exchange need?

Answer 3

adequate number of alveoli and no fibrosis of alveolar wall

Question 4

how many lobes does the left lung have?

Answer 4

2

Question 5

how many lobes does the right lung have?

Answer 5

3

Question 6

what is the function of the ribs?

Answer 6

to allow a change in intrathoracic volume

Question 7

what happens to the volume of the chest if you life the ribs?

Answer 7

increase in volume

Question 8

how do you increase the volume of the chest?

Answer 8

lift the ribs and downwards contraction of diaphragm

Question 9

when are the accessory muscles used?

Answer 9

when breathing is compromised

Question 10

where does gas exchange occur?

Answer 10

in alveoli

Question 11

what is emphysema

Answer 11

when alveoli join to form larger spaces with reduced surface area so the ability of blood to be properly oxygenated decreases due to decreased surface area

Question 12

what can the failure of the alveoli to get O2 in and CO2 out be due to?

Answer 12

thickening of the alveolar wall making diffusion harder, inadequate number of alveoli (emphysema), mismatch between where the air goes to in the lungs and where the blood goes to in the lungs V-Q mismatch

Question 13

what does gas exchange failure give?

Answer 13

type 1 respiratory failure

Question 14

what are the respiratory symptoms?

Answer 14

cough, wheeze, stridor, dyspnoea, pain

Question 15

what does a dry cough mean?

Answer 15

irritation

Question 16

what does a productive cough mean

Answer 16

sputum produced

Question 17

what does a bloody cough mean?

Answer 17

infection or malignancy

Question 18

what is a wheeze?

Answer 18

expiratory noise

Question 19

what is stridor

Answer 19

inspiratory noise

Question 20

what is dyspnoea

Answer 20

distress on effort

Question 21

what are the respiratory sigsn?

Answer 21

chest movement with respiration, rate of respiration, air entry - symmetrical/reduced, vocal resonance, percussion note - resonant/dull

Question 22

what are the types of respiratory diseases?

Answer 22

ventilation disease, gas exchange diseases, respiratory infections, inflammatory diseases, lung malignancy

Question 23

what are the ventilation diseases?

Answer 23

asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis

Question 24

what are the gas exchange diseases?

Answer 24

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (emphysema), pulmonary fibrosis, ventilation-perfusion mismatch

Question 25

what are the inflammatory diseases

Answer 25

cystic fibrosis, sarcoidosis

Question 26

what are the respiratory investigations?

Answer 26

sputum examination, CXR chest radiograph, CT scan, pulmonary function - spirometry, bronchoscopy, VQ scan

Question 27

what does a spirometry measure?

Answer 27

PEFR, FEV1 (forced expiratory volume), FEV1/VC (measure of respiratory function)