Respiratory Physiology Flashcards
functions of respiratory system
- provides oxygen
- eliminates carbon dioxide
- regulates the blood’s hydrogen ion concentration (pH) in coordination with the kidneys
- forms speech sounds (phonation)
- defends against microbes
- influences arterial concentrations of chemical messengers by removing some from pulmonary capillary blood and producing and adding others to this blood
- traps and dissolves blood clots arising from systemic veins such as those in the legs
mucous membrane function
- moisturizes
- cleanse
- warm
mucociliary escalator
traps debris / bacteria and propels it up and out of the respiratory tract
trachea
- 16-20 c-shaped rings made of hyaline cartilage
- smooth muscle allows adjustment of airway radius
conducting zone
- trachea
- bronchi
- bronchioles (no more cartilage)
- terminal bronchioles
- contraction / relaxation of smooth muscle in these airways determines how easily air can flow (bronchoconstriciton vs bronchodilaton)
- no gas exchange here
respiratory zone
- respiratory bronchioles
- alveolar ducts
- alveolar sacs
- no smooth muscle
- no ciliary elevator –> macrophages eat anything that get this far
- thin walls for gas exchange
types of alveoli
- squamous alveolar cell
- alveolar macrophages
- great alveolar cell
respiratory membrane
where gas exchange occurs
alveoli large SA
- size of tennis court
- many small alveoli provide lots of surface area for gas exchange
alveoli thin walls
alveolar and capillary walls are very thin, permitting rapid diffusion of gasses
type II cell (great alveolar cell)
- make surfactant (decreases surface tension)
type I cell (squamous alveolar cell)
very thin / part of respiratory membrane
intrapleural fluid
only few mLs
parietal pleura
attached to thoracic wall
visceral pleura
covers surface of lungs
plural membrane functions
- reduces friction
- compartmentalize lungs
- negative intrapleural pressure keeps lungs inflated
balance of forces at rest
- pleurae stuck together by intrapleural fluid
- chest wall wants to expand outward
- lungs recoil inward because of elastic tissue
- opposing forces create negative instrapleural fluid pressure
- –> without negative pressure and connection of pleura = lungs *** come back
pneumothorax
air in chest
atelectasis
collapsed lung
systemic respiration
- pulmonary ventilation
- gas exchange
- gas transport
- gas exchange
pulmonary ventilation
moving air into / out of the lungs
gas exchange #1
alveolar (external) respiration
gas exchange #2
systemic (internal) respiration
airway
- always flow high pressure to low pressure
- pressure atm = pressure alv –> no flow of air
- P alv (inside) < P atm (outside) = air enters the lungs
- P alv > P atm = air exits the lungs
how does pressure inside (P alv) change?
change volume in the lungs
Boyles law
pressure is inversely proportional to volume
- volume of lungs changed by muscle contractions that change volume of thoracic cavity
- change volume = change pressure = airflow
compression
- decreased volume = increased pressure
- increased number of collisions
decompression
- increased volume = decreased pressure
- decreased number of collisions
quiet inspiration muscles
- diaphragm
- external intercostals
quiet expiration muscles
- passive
- elastic recoil
forced inspiration muscles
- diaphragm
- external intercostals
- scalenes
- sternocleidomastoid
- pectorals minor
forced expiration muscles
- internal intercostals
- abdominals muscles
quiet inspiration
- muscle contraction = increase volume of thoracic cavity = increase volume of lungs = decrease P alv (<0)
- air flows IN until Patm = Palv
quiet expiration
- passive
- muscles relax = lungs relax = lungs recoil (decrease volume)
- increase Palv
- P alv > P atm
- air flows OUT until Palv = Patm
bronchodilators
- increase r = decrease R = increase F
- SNS, Epi/NE (vasoconstriction)
bronchoconstrictors
- decrease r = increase R = decrease F
- PSNS (vasodilation)
- Leukotrienes
- histamines
- –> these two are inflammation
- irritants
- cold air
asthma
inflammation and bronchoconstriction triggered by inhaled allergens
asthma treatment
treat with anti-inflammatory drugs
- Advair
- singulair = leukotriene antagonist or bronchodilators
resistance to airflow
- airway radius
- pulmonary compliance
- surface tension
pulmonary compliance
“stretchability”
high compliance
- easy inhale
- “floppy”
high elasticity
easy exhale
decreased compliance
- “stiff”
- cystic fibrosis and other fibrotic lung diseases
- difficult to inhale
- breaths shallow and more frequent
emphysema
- lung tissue breaks down increased compliance
- easy inhale
- hard to exhale
surface tension
- surfactant in the alveoli increases compliance
- alveoli = water layer = attractive forces between water molecules (surface tension) –> resists stretch (decreases compliance)
type II cells (surface tension)
secrete surfactant
–> mingles with water to decrease surface tension (increases compliance)
newborn respiratory distress syndrome
premature babies lack surfactant
- decrease surfactant
- increase work of breathing
normal cost of breathing
about 3% of total metabolism
lung diseases breathing
about 30% of total metabolism – requires more calories to breath
dead space
air in conducting zone isn’t available for gas exchange
anatomic dead space
- no gas exchange because no alveoli
- about 1 mL/1 pound of body weight
- -> 150 lbs = 150 mL of anatomic dead space
physiologic dead space
from non-functional or damaged alveoli
- normally = 0
minute ventilation
amount air moved per minute
minute ventilation equation
Frequency x TV = MV
alveolar ventilation
air available for gas exchange per minute
alveolar ventilation equation
Frequency x (TV - DS) = AV
changing the rate of breathing affect alveolar ventilation
increase rate = decrease alveolar ventilation
- short quick breaths
changing the depth of breathing affect alveolar ventilation
increase depth = increase alveolar ventilation
- increase depth of breathing = most important, more important than rate because dead space is fixed volume = happens in exercise
- slow big breaths