Respiratory Physiology Flashcards
What occurs in quiet breathing?
Diaphragm used for quiet breathing
Inspiratory muscles contract
Thoracic volume- increases, Thoracic pressure decreases
-> Air pushed in along pressure gradient
Expiration is passive
What muscles are used in forceful breathing?
intercostal and accessory muscles
What happens when alveolar pressure is greater than atmospheric pressure?
Inspiration
-> expiration is the opposite
What happens to intrapleural pressure during breathing?
falls during inspiration and increases during expiration
What is tidal volume?
air moving in and out of lung during quiet breathing
What occurs when you forcibly inhale to the maximum amount?
You reach the inspiratory reserve volume
-> exhalation to its maximum is the expiratory reserve volume
What is the residual volume?
Volume left in lung even after ERV
What is the vital capacity?
Sum of ERV, IRV, TV
How is total lung capacity calculated?
Sum of VC and RV
Why does posture affect breathing?
Abdominal cavity and its contents can obscure or complicate breathing
-> This can be further complicated by obesity
What is the FEV1?
Forced expiratory volume in 1 sec
What occurs when patients suffer from restrictive/obstructive pulmnory diseases?
vital capacity is reduced
What are examples of restrictive pulmonary diseases?
obesity, TB, fibrosis, pneumonia, pneumoconisus
What is the affect of restrictive pulmonary diseases on VC/FEV1?
Reduced VC is close to FEV1 (smaller volumes of air are exchanged but it occurs at a similar rate to healthy patient)
What is the affect of obstructive pulmonary diseases on VC/FEV1?
Vital capacity is reduced and exchange is reduced due to a smaller FEV1 value
What are examples of obstructive pulmonary diseases?
COPD, Emphysema, asthma, bronchitis
What are the different zones in the airways?
Conducting zone (no gas exchange = anatomical dead space)
Respiratory zone (region of gas exchange)
What parts make up the conducting zone?
Trachea, bronchi, bronchiole terminals (+ oral/nasal cavity)
-> 150ml reaches here out of 450ml tidal volume
What parts make up the respiratory zone?
Respiratory bronchiole, alveolar duct, alveolar sac (gas exchange)
-> 300ml of air actually reaches lungs