Respiratory Physiology II Flashcards
what is pulmonary ventilation breathing
- It is the process of air flow to the lungs during inspiration (inhalation) and out of the lungs during expiration (exhalation)
why does air flow occur
- Air flows because of pressure differences between the atmosphere and the gases inside the lungs
- muscular breathing and recoil of elastic tissues create the changes in pressure that results in ventilation
in what direction does airflow occur
air like other gases flows from a region with a high pressure to a region with lower pressure
what is the pressure at the beginning of the respiratory tract called
Patm
what is the pressure inside the lungs called
Pa
what happens if - If Patm and Pa are equal
- If Patm and Pa are equal than there is no airflow
what happens when Pa is smaller then Patm
- If Pa
what happens when Pa is larger than Patm
if Pa> Patm airflows out of the lungs
what is the law that defines the relationship between expansion and gas flow
Boyles law
Define Boyle’s Law
- If the volume of gas is made to increase the pressure exerted by the gas decreases
- As the alveoli are forced to expand the pressure inside them decreases and the gas in flows in from the conducting airways
lungs and there elastic properties
- lungs are elastic
- they return to there original shape fi a force that is distorting them is removed
- if you prevent the air escaping by blocking the lungs the recoil of the lungs will produce a recoil pressure
how do you generate inflation
- For an object to be distorted it must be subjected to a force for example pressure
- Inspiration = inflation and expiration – deflation
- Rather than blowing into the balloon: if the balloon = lungs, then they are inflated by reducing pressure outside (like a plunger in a syringe).
- Lowering the plunger (diaphragm) reduces the pressure around the balloon and generates inspiration
How do you work out inspiration
inflation and expiration - deflation
describe the elastic properties of the chest wall
- The thoracic cage is also elastic.
- Under normal conditions the chest wall has a tendency to pull outwards and the lung to pull inwards thus balancing themselves
why does the chest wall not collapse under normal circumstances
Under normal circumstances the chest wall does not collapse, this is because the lungs and chest wall are in close contract by the intrapleural fluid in the intrapleural space
This means that a pressure is created in that space
what is the sign for intrapleural pressure
Ppl
describe intrapleural space
intrapleural space has cohesive forces
- they are difficult to separate when they are adjoined to each other
- therefore as the chest wall expands during inspiration the lung follows therefore the two structures expand as a single unit
how is the intrapleural space generated
At the end of expiration when you are relaxed before you take your next breath there is a tension between the lungs whose elasticity is causing them to collapse and the chest wall whose elasticity is cause it to spring outwards this generates a pressure in the intrapleural space known as the intrapleural pressure Ppl
- Intrapleural pressure is negative with respect to atmosphere (and the air pressure in the alveoli which is connected to the atmosphere)
Describe the changes int he intrapleural pressure
- The normal pleural pressure the beginning of inspiration is negative
- During inspiration expansion of the chest cage pulls outward on the lungs and intrapleural pressure and becomes more negative
- Intrapleural pressure becomes less negative to lead to quiet expiration
describe what happens to the intrapleural pressure in a pneumothorax
- If the pleural cavity is damaged/ruptured air enters the pleural space (because the pleural pressure is less than atmosphere)
- The intrapleural pressure becomes equal to or exceeds the atmospheric pressure and the pressure surrounding the lungs will increase and may cause the lungs to collapse.
what is compliance
- Elasticity is a measure of how easily the lungs can be stretched and is conventionally expressed as compliance.
- Compliance is the ease at which the lungs expand under pressure
what is the compliance of the lungs changed by
- it is changed by most lung diseases
what is the equation of compliance
change in volume/change in pressure
how do you work out the total compliance
- Across the wall of the structure being investigated e.g. lungs (Cl) chest wall (Cw) or lungs and chest wall (Total compliance CTOT)
what happens to lung compliance at a high expanding pressure
- In normal range the lung is very complaint however at high expanding pressure the lung is stiffer and compliance is smaller
at any given pressure
- At any given pressure lung volume during inhalation is less than the lung volume during exhalation
what is airway closure
Even without any expanding pressure the lung always has some air in it. This is due to airway closure, where small airways close trapping gas in alveoli. Airway closure increases in certain conditions, such as age and lung disease
diseases that affect either the chest wall or lung structure will..
affect compliance
what causes a reduction in compliance
- Increase of fibrous tissue in the lung
- Collapse/closure of lung (atelectasis)
increase in pulmonary venous pressure