Respiratory System Flashcards

1
Q

What are alveoli and what do they do?

A

Tiny sacks of air with capillaries inside. Alveoli diffuses CO2.

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2
Q

What is the partial pressure of water vapour in the lungs?

A

47mm/Hg (constant)

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3
Q

What pressure of O2 is needed to function properly?

A

55mm/Hg

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4
Q

Volume of O2/CO2 in lungs?

A

O2 = 14% CO2 = 5.3%

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5
Q

Haemoglobin. What is it, what does it do, and where is it made?

A

Protein in the red blood cells. Transports O2 and absorbs it. Made in bone marrow.

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6
Q

What is the saturation level of haemoglobin? (MSL/10.000ft/20.000ft)

A

MSL: 97.5% 10.000ft : 87% 20.000ft : 65%

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7
Q

O2 Requirements in relation to altitude.

A
  • Up to 10.000ft: Air only
  • 10.000ft to 33.700ft: O2+Air mix = keeps body at Ground level.
  • 33.700ft to 40.000ft: 100% O2 = keeps body at 10.000ft.
  • Above 40.000ft: O2 under pressure to keep body at 10.000ft.
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8
Q

How thick are capillaries and what do they do?

A

1 cell thick. They diffuse O2.

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9
Q

Explain how the air reaches the lungs.

A

Air is breathed in through our nose/mouth. It travels through the trachea (windpipe). It is then split via the bronchus into 2 lungs and flows through bronchioles into alveoli. Alveoli is wrapped in capillaries, which diffuses O2.

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10
Q

How many alveoli are in our body?

A

Approx. 300 million

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11
Q

What is oxyhemoglobin?

A

When oxygen has diffused into haemoglobin.

It is then transported around the body to the organs & muscles.

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12
Q

What is external respiration?

A

When we take oxygen from the air and diffuse it in the red blood stream. Also CO2 from blood to air.

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13
Q

What is internal respiration?

A

It’s when oxyginated blood is taken to organs&muscles.

Use of oxygen within each cell to create energy by oxidising fuel (carbs/glucose).

Internal respiration controls our metabolism

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14
Q

Cabin Pressure is set to which altitude?

A

6000-8000ft.

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15
Q

Breathing through the nose does what?

A
  • It cleans and filters the air
  • Warms the air
  • Adds moisture to the air.
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16
Q

What are the waste products of internal respiration?

A

CO2 and Water.

CO2 + Water = Carbonic Acid

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17
Q

What does Carbonic Acid do?

A

It controls the pH/acidity level of our blood which controls our breathing.

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18
Q

Normal rate of external respiration at rest?

A

12-20 times per minute

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19
Q

Rate of external respiration is controlled by what?

A

CO2 concentration in blood

20
Q

What is the total lung capacity?

A

Max amount of air that can fill the lungs.

6000ml

21
Q

What is the tidal volume?

A

How much air is inhaled and exhaled with a normal breath.

500ml

22
Q

Inspiratory reserve volume

A

Amount of air that can forcibly be inhaled after tidal volume

3100ml

23
Q

Expiratory reserve volume

A

Amount of air that can forcibly be exhaled after tidal volume

1200ml

24
Q

Residual volume

A

Volume of air remaining in lungs after Expiratory Reserve volume.

Can not be exhaled.

1200ml.

25
Q

Vital Capacity

A

Total air that can be exhaled after fully inhaling.

Approx. 80% of total lung capacity

4800ml.

Total lung capacity - Residual volume = Vital Capacity

26
Q

Inspiratory capacity

A

Max amount of air that can be inhaled

3600ml

27
Q

Functional residual capacity

A

Amount of air remaining in lungs after normal expiration

2400ml

28
Q

What is hypoxia?

A

Insufficient oxygen to support the metabolism of tissues

29
Q

What causes Hypoxic Hypoxia?

A

Caused by low saturation levels of oxygen.

Can be caused by reduced levels of atmospheric oxygen.

Lung infection/Blockage of airway/Inhibited breathing due to drug overdose

30
Q

What causes Anemic Hypoxia?

A

Insufficient amount of haemoglobin in red blood cells

Can be caused by traumatic injury, blood disorders or blood donation (less red blood cells)

31
Q

Stagnant Hypoxia

A

Result of low blood flow

Contraction of blood vessels due to cold.

32
Q

Histotoxic Hypoxia

A

Caused by poisoning of blood cells resulting in abnormally low supply of oxygen to blood cells.

Can be caused by carbon monoxide poisoning

33
Q

Symptoms of hypoxia

A
  • Stomach pain
  • Tingling sensation in hands and feet
  • Ear discomfort
  • Cyanosis (lips and fingernails blue)
  • Increased rate of breathing
  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Dizziness
  • Euphoria
  • Impaired vision
  • Impaired Judgement
  • Impaired motor skills
  • Drowziness
  • Slurred speech
  • Memory loss
34
Q

Stages of hypoxia (altitude, blood O2 saturation)

A
  • Indifferent Stage: 0-10.000ft
    • Blood O2 Saturation: 90-95%
      • Compensatory Stage: 10-15.000ft
    • Blood O2 Saturation 80-90%
      • Disturbance Stage: 15-20.000ft
    • Blood O2 Saturation 70-80%.
      • Critical Stage 20-23.000ft
    • Blood O2 Saturation 60-70%
35
Q

At which altitude does Night Vision start to become worse?

A

5.000ft

36
Q

3 Thresholds of Hypoxia

A
  • Reaction Threshold: GL-7.000ft
  • Disturbance Threshold 7.000-12.000ft
  • Critical Threshold 12.000-22.000ft
37
Q

What does Time of Useful Consciousness describe?

A

Time after a person has been deprived of oxygen in which he is still aware of his environment and capable of controlling his actions.

38
Q

What affects Time of Useful Consciousness?

A
  • Health of individual
  • Smoker
  • Body Weight
  • Speed of decompression
  • Physical activity at the time of decompression
39
Q

Time of Useful Consciousness

A
  • 20.000ft: 30 minutes (5 minutes if moderate activity)
  • 30.000ft: 1-2 min
  • 35.000ft: 30-90 sec
  • 40.000ft: 15-20 sex
40
Q

What is hyperventilation and what causes the symptoms?

A
  • It’s the state of breathing faster or deeper than is necessary for the body’s current demand of oxygen.
  • Lack of CO2 in blood stream caused by excessive flushing of CO2 out of the blood.
  • This causes a reduction in carbonic acid, which increases the blood’s PH level, which causes the ANS to constrict blood vessels.
41
Q

What are some causes of Hyperventilation?

A
  • Deliberately breathing too much/fast
  • Stress/Anxiety
  • Stroke, Heart Failure
    *
42
Q

Symptoms of Hyperventilation

A
  • Light headed/dizzy
  • Tingling lips, hands, feet
  • Hot or cold flushes
  • Impaired performance
  • Headache
  • Loss of muscle co-ordination
  • Fainting
43
Q

What causes decompression sickness?

A
  • DCS is caused whenever there is a large amount of nitrogen in the body and it is exposed to a drop in ambient pressure.
44
Q

When is DCS a risk?

A

In prolonged flights above 18.000ft.

At 25.000ft, the risk increased significantly.

It’s unlikely to be a problem below 14.000ft.

45
Q

4 main symptoms of DCS

A
  • Bends: Bones
  • Creeps: Skin
  • Staggers: Brain
  • Chokes: Lungs
46
Q

DCS and Scuba diving.

Periods between Dive & Flight

A
  • MSL - 30ft : 12 hrs
  • 30 ft+ : 24 hrs

Can cause DCS at altitudes as low as 6.000ft.

47
Q

What can happen in a cockpit after rapid decompression and what will the altitude in the cockpit feel like?

A

Fog/Mist will form due to condensation

Due to the venturi, the cabin altitude will feel as though it is 5.000-6.000ft higher than it actually is.