Respiratory Pathology

Question 1

chronic bronchitis (cough productive of sputum most days for three months of at least 2 consec years) pathology

Answer 1

Chronic irritation -> increased mucus production with increased no of epithelial (particularly goblet cells).

Goblet cell metaplasia, macrophage accumulation and fibrosis around bronchioles generate functional obstruction. NON REVERSIBLE.

Question 2

Which type of COPD has an increased tendency towards infection?

Answer 2

Chronic bronchitis

Question 3

emphysema pathology

Answer 3

Increase beyond normal size in distal airspaces to terminal bronchiole. It is WITHOUT fibrosis. Dilation is due to loss of alveolar walls (tissue destruction) -appears as ‘holes’ in lungs.
Impairs resp function. Diminished alveolar area for gas exchange. Loss of elastic recoil and support of small airways leads to tendency to COLLAPSE.

Advancing disease = decrease pressure of O2 = dyspnoea inc resp rate, pulmonary vasoconsctrictioon and PHT.

Question 4

What does smoking tobacco smoke do in COPD (epidemiology)

Answer 4

increases no of neutrophils and macrophages in lungs. its slow transit of these promotoes neutrophil degranulation and inhibits a1-antitrypsin.