respiratory system Flashcards
what is the total pressure in atmospheric air?
Pn2+ Po2+ Pco2+Ph20
how would you calculate the partial pressure?
partial pressure= fractional conc. of gas x total pressure
what’s the PP at sea level?
PIO2 = 21% x 95kPa
= 20kPA
95 is the barometric pressure
why does the alveolus partial pressure drop?
blood in the alveolus removes oxygen from air so it drops
what is the conducting zone and respiratory zone and their functions?
conducting zone; movement of air to gas- exchanging regions
- trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, terminal bronchioles
respiratory zone; gas exchange
- respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveolar sacs
how does gas move through conducting zone?
- bulk flow
what is total flow formula
speed x area
forward velocity of gas decreases- good for gas diffusion
what are goblet cells and how are they affected when damaged?
they secrete mucus
any ciliary arrest allows bacteria to invade
inflammation/asthma can increase viscosity of mucus
smokers are more susceptible to infections as nicotine paralyses cilia in the airway therefore bacteria can invade
what is the dead space and when does it occur?
it is a volume of gas within the respiratory system where no gas exchange takes place
occurs:
i. where there is no effective airflow
ii. where there is no blood flow/perfusion
what is the anatomic dead space?
when no gas exchange takes place due to lack of alveoli
=150ml
affected by body size, age, drugs, postures
drugs e.g. bronchodilators, constrictors
what is the alveolar dead space?
when there is volume of alveoli in the respiratory zone with no or inadequate blood flow for gas exchange
= >5ml but increases in disease
inspired gas reaches alveolus but alveolus is ineffective in oxygenating venous blood
what is the physiological dead space?
the anatomic dead space + alveolar dead space
what is tidal volume?
vol of air breathed in and out in one breath
for about 70kg adult it is 500ml
what is respiratory frequency?
(f)- numbers of breaths per min
= 12 per min
what is the minute ventilation?
(minute volume) (VE)
= tidal volume x respiratory frequency
what is the dead space ventilation (Vd) and alveolar ventilation?
Vd= volume of dead space x frequency
Alveolar ventilation (Va) = Ve - Vd
how can drug induced hypoventilation be caused?
- alcohol
- tranquilizers
- opiates
- sedatives
- hypnotics
what must the respiratory muscles do in order to breathe?
- must stretch the elastic components of the respiratory system
- and overcome resistance to flow
takes up 10% of the total body oxygen consumption
how do the lungs and chest wall act when there is no air flow?
the lungs want to collapse inwards and the chest wall outwards
but they are held by cohesive action of liquid in the plural space
what kind of pressure does intrapleural fluid have?
has a negative pressure less than the Pb- atmospheric pressure
what is the volume of the lung at rest? how would you find lung and chest wall distending pressure at FRC?
at the end of expiration the lung has a volume called Functional Residual Capacity
Pb= 0
Palv= 0
Ppl= -0.5kPa
lung pressure= Pin-Pout = Palv-Ppl = 0-(-0.5) = +0.5kPa chest wall pressure= Pin - Pout = Ppl - Pb = -0.5-0 = -0.5
how does air move in and out of the lungs?
it moves in and out as Palv will alternatively become bigger and then smaller than Pb
when Palv < Pb then inspiration will occur
and when Palv > Pb then expiration will occur
P alv changes when the thorax expands and lung volume changes
what is Boyles Law?
the pressure exerted by a constant number of gas molecules in a container is inversely proportional to the volume of the container
P inversely proportional to 1/V
as volume increases pressure decreases
what are some inspiratory muscles? used for?
diaphragm, external intercostals, scalenes
used for quite breathing, coughing, exercising, vomiting
how does the diaphragm act as an inspiratory muscle?
- used in quite breathing
- lengthens the thorax
at rest; relaxed
inspiration; it contracts allowing thoracic volume to increase
expiration; relaxes, thoracic volume decreases
during inspiration, what is the Palv and Pb?
they are identical
both are 0 at the start of the breath
Poutside = Pinside
no air flows in or out
what is the process of inspiration?
- thoracic cavity enlarges and cavity flattens
- due to pleural membranes, lungs move out with the thorax
- lungs expand and vol. increases
- alveolar pressure becomes less than pressure outside
Pinside < Outside
P alv = -0.1kPa
what is the process of expiration?
- chest wall moves inward
- volume of Thorax decreases and lungs recoil
- alveolar pressure becomes greater than pressure outside
- lungs momentarily squeeze the air in the lungs due to their elastic inward coil
Palv= +0.1kPa
so air flows out
what is meant by elasticity and compliance?
elasticity- resistance of an object to deformation by an external force; resistant to stretch (E)
compliance- ability to stretch; 1/E (C)
what is the lung distending pressure during inspiration?
P dist= Palv-Ppl
= 0-(-1)kPa
= +1kPa
more positive os the lung is distended
chest wall expands
Palv= 0.1
Ppl= -1kPa
Pb= 0
if you have a greater outward distending pressure what does this mean for the lung vol.?
this means there will be a greater change in lung vol.
represented by the pressure-volume curve
lung expansion is proportional to distending pressure
what determines the compliance of the lungs?
- elastic properties of tissue; elastic connective tissue forces
thick lung tissue decreases compliance - surface tension at air-water interfaces within alveoli
what is surface tension? how is it effected by surfactants?
a collapsing force
surfactant from type 2 cells decreases surface tension
- surfactants molecules have strong attraction for each other but low attraction for other molecules so reduce ST by accumulating at the surface
- they place themselves in between water molecules
how does surfactant presence affect compliance?
is there was no surfactant compliance would decrease and lung volume would decrease as pressure increases
what is the area-dependant effect of surfactant?
- smaller radius alveoli
- > density of surfactant
- effective during deflation of lung and smaller alveoli
what are the factors that rate of airflow depends on?
- density and viscosity of gas
- driving pressure; difference of pressure at 2 points; depends of type of airflow as some airflows might need higher pressures
- types of airflow
- airway resistance
what is laminar and turbulent flow?
laminar flow is when there is a slower velocity and small airways
turbulent flow is high velocity and reorganised flow due to a large radius of the airways; needs a higher driving pressure to move air to alveolus from mouth
what movement can cause airways radius to increase?
bronchodilation
what is transitional flow?
when there is both laminar and turbulent flow
resistance to airflow is due to what?
- friction between air and lung tissue
- friction between air and airways
need small resistance
where does airway resistance from?
40-50% respiratory tract - airways with diameter >2mm
mouth breathing can reduce airflow resistance by bypassing upper airways
50-60% total airway resistance is in lower respiratory tract
most resistance is from the trachea and the bronchi but beyond terminal bronchioles the resistance is virtually zero
how does resistance change with flow and viscosity?
- if viscosity increases then resistance will increase also
- the longer the length of the tube is, then the resistance to flow is higher
- small radius changes have a larger effect on resistance
what is resistance proportional to?
resistance is proportional to L x h / r4
resistance increases with 1/r4
how does decreased airflow occur?
contraction of smooth muscle in the bronchioles -> decreased radius of airway -> increased resistance to airflow -> decreased airflow
what is the difference in the airways for asthmatic lungs and normal lungs?
normal lungs have normal lining and normal amount of mucus; muscle is relaxed
asthmatic lungs have swollen lining and excess- the muscle tightens
what are some long and short bronchodilators used for asthma patients?
- anticholinergics
- beta-receptor agonists
- steroids
- anti-inflammatory drugs
why is upper and lower airway resistance important?
Upper - intraluminal airway obstruction - aspiration of foreign objects - bronchospasms, mucus, oedema - obstruction by tongue Lower - COPD e.g asthma, bronchitis
what are the two ways to control airway resistance?
- autonomic control
- local chemical mediators
- decrease in CO2 in over-ventilated areas- bronchoconstriction
how do vagal fibres evoke bronchoconstriction?
the vagal preganglionic fibres will release ACh from their synaptic clefts and this will act on the muscarinic M3 receptors which cause bronchconstriction
airways constrict and airflow is reduced
what do sympathetic fibres innervation cause?
sympathetic fibres innervation of airways when circulating adrenaline it acts at B2 adrenoreceptors which then causes bronchodilation
what is the role of local chemical mediators?
local chemical mediators are inflammatory substances
when the bronchi airways are constricted mast cells are activated and cause release of inflammatory substances such as histamine
histamine acts on the constricted bronchi causing vasodilation
what is the PO2 in inspired air and PO2 in alveoli?
inspired air= 20kPa
alveoli = 13 kPa
why is there a lower PO2 in the lung than in the air?
oxygen is constantly entering pulmonary blood at 250ml/min from alveoli to meet metabolic demand
O2 is constantly removed from alveolus into blood to satisfy metabolism
what is the PCO2 in inspired air and in the alveoli?
inspired air = 0
alveoli = 5kPa
why is there more CO2 in the lung than in the air?
because CO2 produced by metabolism is constantly added from the blood into the alveolar air at 200ml/min
what is the PO2 of alveolar gas determined by?
- PO2 in the atmosphere air
- rate of replenishment of O2 by alveolar ventilation (VA)
- > increased VA increases PAO2 and vice versa if VO2 is unchanged - rate of removal of O2 by pulmonary capillary blood
- > if VO2 increases, PAO2 decreases and vice versa if VA is unchanged
what is PCO2 of alveolar gas determined by?
determined by:
- rate of metabolism if breathing unchanged
- alveolar ventilation; increased VA will decrease PACO2 and vice versa is VCO2 is unchanged
how does Va change with metabolism?
- if metabolism doubles, Va doubles
- if metabolism halves, Va halves
alveolar gases, blood gases and pH are kept relatively constant
how does disease occur?
when respiration, Va, cannot meet metabolic demand at rest severe or changes in demand
alveolar gases, blood gases and pH are abnormal
what is the difference between hypoventilation and hyperventilation?
hypoventilation; alveolar ventilation doesn’t keep pace with CO2 production; PACO2 and PaCO2 increases
hyperventilation; alveolar ventilation is too great for the amount of CO2 being produced; PACO2 and PaCO2 decrease
what is hypernoea?
it is when you are breathing deeper and more rapid than normal but increased
how do I know if my patient is hyperventilating?
- PaCO2 lower than normal
- dizziness -> low PaCO2 causes vasoconstriction of cerebral vessels and lack of O2 to brain
- Tetany- carpopoedal spasm, numbness and pins and needles
can measure CO2 levels and arterial gas
what is Tetany? how does it occur?
extracellular levels of Ca+, nervous system is more excitable as there is an increased permeability to Na+ ions and allows AP imitation to occur
there is a fall in PaCO2 which leads to membranes hyperexcitability; alters free levels of Ca+ and changes membranes excitability
what is Fick’s law and what is it dependant on?
Fick’s law is diffusion through tissues and is dependant on
- surface area; can be changed in restrictive diseases
- thickness of the barrier; usually 0.5 micrometers
- partial pressure difference between two sides; large gradient for O2
- diffusion constant for that gas through that barrier; depends on gas, MW and solubility
is CO2 or O2 more soluble?
CO2 is more soluble
lower Partial pressure needed
if a given lung unit is equally well ventilated and perfused with blood what is then optimised?
- gas exchange
- uptake of o2 from alveolar gas -> blood
- elimination of CO2 from blood into alveolar gas
what is the ventilation: perfusion ratio?
Va (V); 4 L/min
blood flow to lung (Q) = 5 litres/min
so ratio = V/Q = 4/5
= 0.8
what happens to V/Q ratio in an under ventilated/overperfused alveolus? how will lung adjust?
V>Q
there is no ventilation but O2 is being removed and CO2 is going into alveoli
blood returning to the heart from these alveolus is hypoxic and hypercapnic therefore V/Q = 0
hypoxic blood causes localised hypoxic vasconstriction so blood is diverted away
what happens to V/Q ratio in an over ventilated/under perfused alveolus? how does the lung adjust?
V>Q
this is alveolar dead space
there is no blood flow so Q is 0
so V/Q is infinity
no CO2 being added to alveolus and no O2 being extracted from blood
low PCO2 causes localised bronchoconstriction