Structure and Function of the Pulmonary System Flashcards
What is the purpose of the respiratory tract
O2 inhaled into lungs
O2 in blood
Remove carbon dioxide form blood
Carbon dioxide exhaled out of lungs
How lobes do the left and right lungs have
2 and 3
What does the nasal cavity do
WARMING, MOISTENING or air, foreign material TRAPPED
What’s in the nasopharynx
Tonsils
What’s in the oropharynx
Epiglottis to the larynx
Air and food
What is an example of an epiglottis emergency
When it’s SWOLLEN, CLOSES over GLOTTIS to prevent aspiration
What’s in the larynx
Vocal cords
What does the trachea have
Cartilage
What does the alveoli have
SURFACTANT to reduce surface TESNSION and maintain INFLATION
What can happen when the surfactant is not sufficient
Alveolar COLLAPSE, decreased lung EXPANSION, increased WORK of breathing, GAS-EXCHANGE abnormalitites
What type of vital signs will you see when the surfactant is not sufficient
Fast and shallow breahting, increased HR and RR, decreased O2, “I can’t breathe”
What is the chest wall composed of
Skin, ribs, and intercostal muschles
Tell me about the thoracic cavity
ENCASES the LUNG, PLEURA FOLDS over itself
Tell me about the pleural space
50 ml of FLUID, NEGATIVE PRESSURE
What does cilia do
PROPELS particles to be sent out
What does smoking do to cilia
stiffens so it’s hard to get stuff out
What do the irritant receptors do in the nares and trachea
Triggers sneezing and coughing
What is the purposes of the pulmonary circulation
Gas EXCHANGE, delivers NUTRIENTS, RESERVOIR for the LEFT VENTRICLE, FILTERS
What does airflow depend on
PRESSURE gradient
How does air move
High pressure to low pressure
What is BOyle’s law
As the thoracic cavity decreases the pressure inside increases
What does the ability to create pressure depend on
The elasticity of tissues and surface tension
Where are the breathing control centers
Medulla and pons
What do the central chemoreceptors in the medulla respond to
INCREASE in CO2, or DECREASE in pH (acidic)
What do the peripheral chemoreceptors respond to
DECREASED O2 in blood
How does the normal ventilation control work
Making the body breathe more with an increased CO2
What is hypercapnia
Carbon dioxide increased
What does hypercapnia do to the body
LOWERS pH, STIMULATES the respiratory system, INCREASED rate and depth of respirations
What is hypoxemia
A DECREASED in O2
What is an important control mechanism in indiciduals with chronic lung disease
Hypoxemia
How is a hypozix drive created
With a chronic ELEVATION of CO2-INSENSITIVE MEDULLARY chemoreceptors-PERIPHERAL chemoreceptros notice a DECREASE in O2-pt braethes
What are the factors affecting gas exchange
PRESSURE gradient, THICKNESS of membrane, total SURFACE AREA, VENTILATION and PERFUSION
What can affect thickness of respiratory membrane
Fluid accumulation, Ex. amonia
What can affect total surface area
Wall desruction
What happens to an aging pulmonary system
Loss of ELASTICICTY, STIFFENING, flow RESISTANCE, decreased EXERCISE TOLERANCE, LONGER to get better from INFECTIONS
Tell me about spirometry/ PFT
Measures lung VOLUMES, w/out albuterol
What do chest radiographs look at
Masses, amonia
What is hemoptysis
Blood-tinged, frothy SPUTUM
Ex. pulmonary edema
What is Kussmaul respirations
DEEP RAPID respirations
Ex. ACIDOSIS, following EXERCISE
What could labored respirations or prolonged breathing in or out mean
Obstruction of airways
What can wheezing or whistling mean
Obsturction in SMALL airways
What does stridor sound like and what does it mean
HIGH-PITCHED, UPPER airway obstruction
What can dyspnea be caused by
INCREASED CO2 or hypoxemia, EXCERTION
How severe dyspnea present
RESPIRATORTY DISTRESS, FLARING of nose, ACCESSORY muscle use
What causes orthopnea and when does it occur
PULMONARY CONGESTION, LYING DOWN
What causes cyanosis
Unoxygenated hemoglobin in the blood, ASHY
What causes pleural pain
Inflammation or infection of the PARIETAL PLEURA
What does rales sound like
crackles with secretions
What does rhonchi sound like
Deep harsh sounds from thick mucus
What does an absence of lung sounds mean
No air movement or collapsed lung
What is friction rub
Soft sound of rough, inflamed, or scarred pleural move against each other
What does clubbed digits come from
Chronic hypoxia, PAINLESS, firm
Your patient is not able to protect his airway and is at risk for aspiration. Aspirated foreign material is most likely to end up in the
Right lung
Does the larynx connect the upper and lower airways
Yes
Does the mediastinum contain the lungs and heart
No
Is each lobe divided into bronchi
No
