Respiratory Systems Flashcards
What is ventilation?
The process of shifting air from the outside world into your lungs (which is technically still the outside world but just inside your body because there is no skin between inside the alveoli and the outside world).
It is the supply of O2 to and removal of Co2 from the alveoli.
What are the two types of gas exchange during respiration?
1) The exchange of O2 and CO2 across the alveolar membrane = air to blood (e.g., air to inside the body across skin layer)
and then
2) the exchange of O2 and CO2 between the capillaries and the cells
What is respiration?
The exchange of O2 and CO2 between the tissues and the environment
What are the 5 steps of respiration?
1) Ventilation
2) Gas exchange
3) Gas transport
4) Gas exchange
5) cellular respiration
What is gas transport?
Deliver O2 from lungs to tissues and transport CO2 produced by metabolism to the lungs (cardiorespiratory).
What is cellular respiration?
The cells use of O2 and production of Co2 (metabolism)
What processes in respiration are bulk flow?
Ventilation and gas transport
What are the functions of the respiratory system?
Provide Oxygen
Eliminate Carbon Dioxide
Filters, warms and humidifies the air we breath
Communication
Sense of smell
Regulate the pH of the blood in association with the kidneys
Defend against microbes
Temperature regulation
(PEFCSRDT)
please eliminate fat cunts so raewyn doesn’t tumble
What are the muscles used during inspiration?
Sternomastoid
Scalene’s Muscles
External intercostals
Diaphragm
What are the muscles used during expiration?
Internal intercostals
External oblique abdominal rectus
What does the sternomastoid do?
elevate the sternum
What do the scalene’s muscles do?
elevate the upper ribs
What direction does the diaphragm move as it contracts?
Descends
What do the external intercostals do?
Elevate the ribs
What do the internal intercostals do?
Depress the ribs
What does the external oblique abdominal rectus do?
External oblique abdominal rectus = abdominal muscles
Recruited for very deep and forceful expiration.
They depress the lower ribs and compress the viscera.
What is expiration caused by?
Caused by lung elastic recoil pulling the thorax and relaxed diaphragm inwards.
Is there muscle contraction during restful expiration?
No it is passive
What is happening during inspiration and expiration of deep breathing?
Inspiration is the contraction of the diaphragm and external intercostal muscles
Expiration is lung elastic recoil and internal intercostal muscle contraction
What additional muscles are recruited for very deep forceful breaths inspiration and expiration?
Sternocleidomastoid and pectorals minor muscles for inspiration.
Abdominal muscles for expiration.
What is the pleura?
A thin layer of tissue that covers the lungs and lines the interior wall of the chest cavity.
it forms an envelope between the lungs and the chest wall.
What is the parietal pleura and visceral pleura?
Parietal pleural = outer layer that lines the chest wall and diaphragm
Visceral pleura = inner layer that is directly on the lungs lining the outside.
What is the pleural cavity filled with?
Pleural fluid
Are the lungs and chest wall attached?
No (the lungs are always wanting to pull away from the chest wall).
What is P atm?
Atmospheric pressure (can also be referred to as barometric pressure = P b)
What is the alveolar pressure symbol?
P alv (or PA)
What is P ip?
Intra pleural pressure
What is P tp?
Transpulmonary pressure (or lung pressure PL)
What is P Ip (intra pleural pressure) at rest?
-4 mm Hg
What is atmospheric pressure?
0 mm Hg (all other respiratory pressures are a measure relevant to P atm).
What direction does air move?
By bulk from a region of high pressure to low pressure
What is bulk flow (F) proportional to?
Pressure difference
What is Bulk Flow (F) inversely proportional to?
Resistance (R)
What is the equation for bulk flow?
F = change in P / R
Change in P = (P alv - P atm)
At rest what is the difference between alveoli and atmosphere?
Zero
What are pressures in the respiratory system relative to?
Atmospheric pressure (at 760 mmHg)
What is flow when there is no pressure gradient?
0
What is Boyle’s law?
At constant temperatures the volume of a gas varies inversely with absolute pressure.
E.g., In the lungs volume increases and pressure decreases (in proportion to outside pressure). When volume decreases pressure has increases inside.
Does volume of the lung increase or decrease with inspiration?
Increase (therefore decreased pressure)
If lung volume increases what happens to pressure?
it decreases (volume and pressure inversely proportional)
What are the 2 determinants for the changes in lung dimension?
1) difference in the pressure between the inside and outside of the lung (transpulmonary pressure)
2) stretchability of the lungs (compliance) - how much the lungs can expand for a given change in transpulmonary pressure
What is the normal value for P tp?
4mmHg = the difference between 0 for P atm and -4 for P alv
What does transmural pressure resist?
The elastic recoiling of the lung (prevents the lungs from collapsing)
Does transmural pressure need to be positive or negative?
Needs to be positive so that the lungs press towards the lower pressure preventing them from collapsing.
If the value is negative the lungs would want to press inwards.
P alv - P ip gives us what value?
P tp
normally +4 because 0 - (-4)
When do lungs assume their smallest size?
When P tp is at zero
What is opposed when Ptp is positive?
Elastic recoil
What does Pip need to be in order for Ptp to be positive?
P ip needs to be negative
What is pneumothorax?
When air is in the pleural cavity e.g., the space between lung and chest wall (due to there being a collapsed lung)
What is a collapsed lung referred to?
Atelectasis
What is pleural effusion?
fluid in the pleural cavity
Is inspiration or expiration passive?
Expiration = passive
Inspiration = active
What nerves are activated during inspiration?
Intercostal nerve (located within ribs)
Phrenic nerve (located on top of diaphragm)
What occurs in the stages between the diaphragm and inspiratory intercostal muscles contracting and air flowing into the alveoli?
The thorax expands > Pip becomes more subatmospheric > increase in transpulmonary pressure > lungs expand > P alv becomes subatmospheric
What does ‘subatmospheric’ mean?
Lower than atmospheric pressure
What occurs in the stages between when the diaphragm/inspiratory intercostal muscles stop contracting and air flowing out of the lungs?
Chest wall recoils inwards > P ip moves back towards preinspiration value > transpulmonary pressure moves back towards preinspiration value > lungs recoil towards preinspiration size > air in alveoli becomes compressed > P alv become greater then P atm
What work needs to be done to breath?
1) overcome elastic properties (or stiffness) of the lungs
2) overcome airway resistance (friction)
What are the two elastic properties of the lungs?
Compliance and surfactant
What is lung compliance (CL)?
A measure of elastic property of the lung
Compliance is the inverse/opposite of stiffness
What is the equation for CL?
Lung compliance = change in lung volume / change in transpulmonary pressure
What does the compliance curve look like?
There are two curves: the inspiratory compliance curve and the expiratory compliance curve.
The inflation/expiratory curve is lower and the deflation/inspiratory curve loops overtop.
What is on the Y and X axis of the lung compliance graph?
X = P tp
Y = Lung volume
What are the two determinants of lung compliance?
(1) Stiffness/elasticity of the lung
(2) Surface Tension
If there is low compliance what does this mean about stiffness of the lungs?
Low compliance = stiff lungs and therefore the lungs need to do more work to expand
Is emphysema or fibrosis used to describe stiff lungs?
Fibrosis
What is Emphysema?
“Floppy” lungs due to high compliance.
It means that inspiration is easy because they are very stretchy and can increase in volume but means that expiration is difficult and requires more energy because there is low elastic recoil.
What is Fibrosis?
“Stiff” lungs due to low compliance.
It means that inspiration is difficult and requires more energy because lungs are not stretchy but means that no additional energy is required for expiration because there is high elastic recoil.
Where is surface tension and what causes it?
Attractive forces between water molecules pulling together creates high surface tension at the fluid gas interface (surface of alveoli)
What effect does surfactant have on surface tension?
It reduces surface tension in alveoli = makes them easier to expand.
What is surfactant produced by?
alveolar type 2 cells called pneumocytes
What are pneumocytes?
Alveolar type 2 cells that produce surfactant
What is the major constituent of surfactant?
Phospholipids
How does surfactant lower surface tension?
Reduces attractive forces between fluid molecules lining the alveoli (fluid-gas interface) therefore there is a reduction in surface tension of alveoli and thus easier to increase lung size (increased compliance).
What is the result of a lack of or failure to produce adequate surfactant?
Stiff lungs
When is surfactant absent?
Absent in premature infants - therefore is a baby is born prior to 28 weeks it results in RDS (respiratory distress syndrome).
How is newborn RDS treated?
Assisted ventilation and administration of natural or synthetic surfactant given through the infants trachea (why premature born babies go into ICU)
RDS = respiratory distress syndrome
What is laminar flow and when does it occur in relation to breathing?
During quiet breathing flow in laminar meaning that it is smooth and regular.
What is resistance to flow determined by (law and equation)?
Poiseuille’s Law
R = 8nI / pie r^4
What is asthma?
Bronchoconstriction / bronchodilation and their effects on resistance and thus airflow
What is the main area of airway resistance?
Bronchi
(the first 6 generations of the airway)
Is resistance higher in smaller or larger respiratory airways and why?
Larger because resiatcne depends on the number of parallel pathways present (whereas in vascular system arterioles are arranged in series so has opposite effect).
What is radial traction?
The pulling of adjacent alveoli which reduces airway resistance
What are the diseases caused by airway resistance?
Asthma
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
What are the two types of COPD?
COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Emphysema
Chronic Bronchitis
What can you assess through a pressure-volume loop?
Pressure-Volume loop gives information on compliance of lungs (work of breathing).
Why is expiration passive?
Because you have already done the work by stretching the lungs during inspiration and the lungs elastic recoil does the work during expiration
What is a restrictive lung disease?
Problem with stretch/stiff lung
How is the pressure-volume curve changed when lung compliance decreases?
Shifted to the right
In an obstructive lung disease how is airway resistance affected?
It is increased
What is PEFR?
Peak Expiratory Flow Rates
What is the most common pulmonary function test?
Spirometry - measures lung volumes and air flow rates (measuring how much and how fast)
What is tidal volume?
Volume of air moved in and out of the lungs during normal quiet breath.
Approx. 500 ml
What is inspiratory reserve volume?
Biggest breath in
Extra volume that can be inspired with maximal inhalation (by using external intercostal muscles).
Approx. 3L
What is expiratory reserve volume?
Biggest breath out
Extra volume that can be exhaled with maximal effort (internal intercostal and abdominal muscles).
Approx. 1.2L
What is residual volume?
Volume remaining in the lungs after maximal exhalation (max breath out).
Approx. 1.2 L
What is inspiratory capacity?
Maximal breath in
Tidal volume + inspiratory reserve volume.
What is vital capacity?
Maximal breath in and out. Volume of air can shift in/out of lungs.
Inspiratory reserve volume + tidal volume + expiratory reserve volume.
What is function residual capacity?
Remaining volume at end of normal breath out when there is no inspiratory or expiratory muscle contractions.
Residual volume + expiratory reserve volume
Approx. 2.4L (40% TLC)
What is total lung capacity?
Total volume in lungs when maximally full
Approx. 6L
All volumes added together (tidal volume + inspiratory reserve volume + expiratory reserve volume + residual volume).
What is the importance of a large FRC?
At all times during the breath cycle O2 and CO2 exchange can occur between alveolar gas and the pulmonary capillaries.
It prevents fluctuation in the composition of alveolar gas.
What is restrictive lung disease?
Lung state that requires increased work due to decreased lung compliance = “stiff lungs”.
How does breathing change with restrictive lung disease?
You breath more shallowly and rapidly
What is obstructive lung disease?
Lung state where there is increased work due to airway resistance = narrow pipes
How does breathing change when you have obstructive diseases?
Breath more slowly and deeply
What do forced measurements give information about?
About air flow rates.
FEV1/FVC ratio used for distinction between obstructive and restrictive lung diseases.
What is forced vital capacity (FVC)?
The maximum breath into maximum breath out - force your breath out as hard as possible
What is FEV1?
The forced expiratory volume in one second
In healthy lungs approximately what percentage of lung volume is expirated in 1 second?
80%
If FEV1/FVC ratio is less than 70% what does it suggest?
Obstructive lung disease
How does the FEV1/FVC ratio change for restrictive lung disease?
The ratio doesn’t change because there is no change in airway resistance.
What are examples of obstructive lung disease?
Emphysema
Asthma
What is an example of restrictive lung disease?
Fibrosis
How do you work out total mouth ventilation?
frequency (breaths per minute) x tidal volume (ml per breath)
Units in ml/min