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Respiratory Physiology Flashcards

1
Q

what are the functions of the respiratory system?

A
  1. Gas exchange
  2. acid base balance- regulation of body ph
  3. protection from infection
  4. communication via speech
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2
Q

functions of Pulmonary and systemic circulation?

A

Pulmonary- delivers co2 to lungs and collects o2.
Systemic- delivers o2 to peripheral tissues and collects co2

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3
Q

what doesthe pulmoanry artery and vein carry?

A

pulmonary artery- de-oxygenated blood
pulmonary vein- oxygenated blood

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4
Q

what is the respiration rate and rest and excercising?

A

rest- 12to 18 breaths/min
max- 40-45 breaths/min

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5
Q

what is the volume of gas exchanged in the lungs, and what is it equal too?

A

In the steady state, the net volume of gas exchanged in the lungs per unit time (250ml/min O2; 200ml/min CO2) is equal to the net volume exchanged in the tissues.
This prevents gas build up in the circulation which would hamper gas exchange and helps to ensure supply = demand

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6
Q

components of the upper respiratory tract?

A

mouth
nasal cavity
pharynx
larynx

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7
Q

components of the lower respiratory tract?

A

trachea
bronchi
lungs

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8
Q

Describe the Nose

A

air enters body through nose, where cillia and mucus trap particles and warm/moisten the air

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9
Q

Describe the Pharnyx

A

From nose air moves down into pharynx (throat) which is shared with digestive system

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10
Q

Describe the Epiglottis

A

small flap of tissue folds over trachea and prevents food from entering when u swallow.

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11
Q

Describe the Larynx

A

voice box, contains vocal chords which vibrate to produce sound

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12
Q

Describe the Trachea

A

From the pharynx air moves down towards thw lungs through the trachea.
made up of stiff rings of cartilage that support and protect it

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13
Q

Describe the Bronchus

A

air moves from trachea into the right and left bronchi which leads inside the lungs

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14
Q

Describe the lungs

A

main organ of respiration.
soft and spongy texture.

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15
Q

describe the structure of both left and right lungs

A

Right lung-
superior, middle and inferior lobes
horizontal and oblique fissures

Left lung-
superior and inferior lungs
oblique fissure

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16
Q

what is the branching of airways?

A
  1. split into left and right primary bronchi
  2. secondary bronchus
    3.bronchiole
    4.alveoli- point of gas exchange
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17
Q

how dose resistance to airflow change with branching?

A

there is less resistance to airflow in the respiratory zone (bronchioles and alveoli) as there is less competition for space.

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18
Q

how can air flow resistance be altered?

A

Airway diameter, and therefore resistance to air flow, can be altered by activity of bronchial smooth muscle:
Contraction decreases diameter = increases resistance Relaxation increases diameter = decreases resistance

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19
Q

what are the aveoli clusters surronded by?

A

elastic fibers- allows them to expand
network of capillaries- for gas exchange with blood

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20
Q

what is dead space?

A

The conducting zone of the airways consists of the trachea, bronchi (highest points of resistance to air flow), and bronchioles. Air in these airways is referred to as Anatomical Dead Space as it does not participate in gas exchange as the walls of the airways are too thick.

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21
Q

aveloar structure?

A

aveoli composed of type 1 cells for gas exchange and type 2 cells that synthesize surfactant. alveolar macrophages ingest foreign material that reaches the alveoli.

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22
Q

what is tidal volume? TV

A

usually around 500ml, this is the volume of air breathed in and out of lungs at rest

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23
Q

functional residual capacity FRC

A

volume of air in lungs at end of a normal relaxed expiration.
residual volume + expiritatory reserve volume

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24
Q

what is the inspiratory(IRV) and expirtory(ERV) reserve volume?

A

IRV- max volume of air that can be drawn into lungs at end of normal inspiration
ERV- max volume of air which can be expelled from lung at end of normal expiration

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25
what is vital capacity VC
the greatest volume of air that can be expired from the lungs after a maximum inspiration common clinical test = Tidal volume+ inspiratory reserve volume+expirtory reserve volume
26
residual volume RV
volume of gas in lungs at end of maximal expiration. you can never expel all gas from lungs as aveoli would collapse and would be difficult to inflate again during inspiration
27
total lung capacity, TLC
= vital capacity + residual volume
28
inspiratory capscity, IC
= tidal volume + inspirtory reserve volume
29
what is the pleural cavity
thin cavity around the lungs filled with pleural fluid important space for lung function
30
what is the pleural membrane?
each lung is enclosed by a pleural sac that consit of two continous membranes- the plurae visceral plurae- covers lungs and is adherent to all its surfaces within the lung fissures parietal plurae- lines pulmonary cavities, adhering to thoracic wall, mediastinium and diaphragm.
31
function of the intrapleural fluid?
the intrapleural fluid allows the pleural membranes to glide across each other as we breathe in and out and creates this cohesive force between the membranes so they stick to the rib cage (so that if rib cage or diaphragm moves, so will the lungs)
32
Boyle's law
states that the pressure exerted by a gas is inversely proportional to its volume ie- the bigger the volume the less pressure the gas will exert and vice versa. (so incresing the thoracic cavity volume, decrease the pressure)
33
daltons law
stares that total pressure of a gas mixture is the sum of the pressure of the individual gases
34
charles law
states the volume occupied by a gas is directly related to the absolute temperature- relevant in a respirtory physiology lab
35
Henrys law
states that the amount of gas dissolved in a liquid is determined by the pressure of the gas and its solubility in the liquid
36
inspiration use what muscles?
diaphragm- flattens, extending the superior/inferior dimension of the thoracic cavity. external intercostal muscles- contract elevate the ribs and sternum, extending the anterior/posterior dimension of the thoracic cavity. under severe respiratory load we may also use scalene and sterneocleidomastoid muscles
37
expiration uses what muscles?
expiration is passive at rest, but during severe respiratory load uses: internal intercostal- depresses the ribs. abdominal muscles- increases the intra-abdominal pressure, pushing the diaphragm further upwards into the thoracic cavity.
38
explain boyles law appled to ventilation
during inspiration lung volume increase so lung pressure decrease. The pressure of the environment external to the lungs is now greater than the environment within the lungs, meaning air moves into the lungs down the pressure gradient. During expiration lung volume decreases so lung pressure increases. The pressure inside the lungs is now greater than in the external environment, meaning air moves out of the lungs down the pressure gradient.
39
what is alveolar pressure?
intra-thoracic pressure (basically pressure inside the lungs) , pressure inside the thoracic cavity, may be +/- depending on atmospheric pressure
40
what is intra pleural pressure
pressure inside the plueral cavity, typically negative compared to atmospheric pressure
41
trans-pulmonary pressure
the difference between alveolar pressure and intra-pleural pressure.
42
what cell types make up aveolar walls?
type 1- thin walled cell which permit gas exchange type 2- cells which secrete surfactant fluid
43
what is surfactant
detergent like fluid which: 1.reduces surface tension on alveolar surface membrane thus reducing tendency for aveoli to collapse 2. increases lung compliance 3. reduces lung tendency to recoil 4. makes work of breathing easier
44
why is surfactant more effective in small aveoli rather than large
as in small aveoli surfactant molecules come closer togethr, more concentrated
45
what is pousilles law
gives us the relationship between airway resistance and the diameter of the airway. The equation is given below in Figure 1 (R = resistance, n = substance viscosity, l = length of tube and r= radius of tube). only applies when there is laminar flow
46
Laplace’s law
“The pressure within a cylinder or sphere is proportional to the surface tension divided by the radius” surfactant becomes less effective at larger diameters. Therefore, surface tension remains proportional to the radius of the alveolus as size increases. In turn, this ensures pressures are relatively similar between adjacent alveoli of different sizes, which prevents them from collapsing into each other.
47
what is anatomical dead space?
usually 150ml volume of gas occupied by the conducting airways and this gas is not availdble for exchange
48
what two ways can ventilation be described in?
1.Pulmonary ventilation- total air movement into/out of lungs 2. alveolar ventilation- fresh air getting to aveoli, so available for gas exchange, so is functionally more significant!
49
what is ventilation measured in?
Pulmonary and aveolar ventilation both measured in L/min
50
describe what hypoventilation would look like
low alveolar ventilation someone who was breathing rapidly but with a low tidal volume
51
describe what hyperventilation would look like
high alveolar ventilation breathing slowly and with a high tidal volume
52
what is partial pressure
The pressure exerted by an individual gas in a mixture of gases is equivalent to the % of that gas in the mixter
53
what is normal value for aveolar ventilation
4.2L/min
54
under normal conditions, what are the alveolar partial pressure of co2 and o2
co2- 5.3kPa or 40mm Hg o2- 13.3kPa or 100mm Hg
55
function of the pulmoarty artery and vein
Pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood AWAY from the heart to the lungs. Pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood TOWARDS the heart from the lungs.
56
what is the bronchial circulation
the branch of systemic circulation, from the bronchial arteries, that delivers oxygenated blood supply to the lungs.
57
what do these mean? a – ṽ – A-
A – alveolar a – arterial blood ṽ – mixed venous blood (e.g. in pulmonary artery)
58
what is fibrosis
thickened alveolar membrane slows gas exchange, loss of lung compliance may decrease alveolar ventilation.
59
what is emphysema
destruction of alveoli decreases surface area for diffusion
60
what is pulmonary odema
fluid in the intersisial space increases diffusion distance by separating the alveoli from the capillary.
61
what is asthma
increased airway resistance decreases airway ventilation Asthma affects the airways rather than the alveoli so has little direct effect on diffusion. However asthma can have a big impact on ventilation, and therefore PAO2 and PACO2, which will subsequently limit diffusion.
62
what are obstructive and restrictive lung disease
obstructive- obstuction of air flow especially on expiration restrictive- restriction of lung expansion, loss of lung compliance, mainly impacts inspiration
63
examples of obsructive lung disorders
asthma COPD (chronic obsructive pulmonary diseasease)- includes chronic bronchitis (inflammation of bronchi) and emphysema
64
examples of restictive lung disorders
oedma pneumothorax infant respirtory distress syndrome (insufficent surfactant production) fibrosis- formation of excess fibrous connective tissue creates a stiff lung. can be idiopathic or asbestos
65
what is spirometry?
technique commonly used to measure lung function
66
how can spirometry measurements be classed
static- where only consideration is volume exhaled dynamic-where the time taken to exhale a certain volume is measured
67
FEV1/FVC
this is a lung function test. FEV1- forced expirtory volume in one second FVC- forced vital capacity
68
in a fit, healthy youg male what should these values be? FEV1/FVC
4L/5L= 80%- norm
69
effect of obstuctive disorders on FEV1/FCV
rate of air exhaled is much slower total air exppired (FVC) is also reduced ratio reduced slighlty
70
effect of restrictive disorders on FEV1/FCV
totalvolum is reduced due to limitations of lung expansion ration remains constant or increaed as a large proporton of the aircan be exhaled in the first second less usful in diagnosing these disorders
71

The Respiratory System (11 decks)

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