The Respiratory System

Question 1

Upper Respiratory Tract URT

Answer 1

• includes the functioning organs in the head and neck

Question 2

Lower Respiratory Tract LRT

Answer 2

• includes the chest cavity

Question 3

Respiratory Mucosa + Mucus

Answer 3

• Most of the respiratory system is lined with mucus
• Cleans the air before it enters the lungs
• Moistens the air that we breath

Question 4

Ciliary Escalator

Answer 4

• Mucus is cleared from the respiratory tract via the ciliary escalator
• cilia move contaminants ever-upward, toward the throat through coughing or swallowing

Question 5

Order of Functions: URT

Answer 5

• breathe through the nose, air passes through the nares (nostrils) and into the nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses which warm, moisten and clean air before it proceeds further
• inhaled air passes into the pharynx (throat)
• inhaled air passes through the larynx

Question 6

Structures of the Pharynx: Nasopharynx, Oropharynx and Laryngopharynx

Answer 6

• N = most superior (nares)
• O = in the oral cavity
• L = inferiorly-located and has two potential pathways, determined by the epiglottis (trap door for food and air)

Question 7

Larynx

Answer 7

• is composed of cartilage

- rigid structure of which helps to keep it open for the passage of air, regardless of the air pressure

Question 8

Rhinitis + Sinusitis

Answer 8

• R = inflammation of the nasal mucosa, which can be caused by viral infections or allergies
• S = often more severe, from a bacterial infection of the paranasal sinuses

Question 9

Larynigitis

Answer 9

• Inflammation of the mucosa of the larynx

- caused by an infection, allergies, smoke, and acid reflux

Question 10

Laryngeal Cancer

Answer 10

• common in men over the age of 50, and regular users of tobacco and alcohol are at the greatest risk
• can be treated by surgical removal of larynx

Question 11

Pharyngitis

Answer 11

• “sore throat,”
• painful and red throat that can be accompanied by difficulty in swallowing.
• caused by bacterial infection like strep

Question 12

Order of Functions: LRT

Answer 12

• the trachea (‘wind pipe’), forming the base and trunk of the inverted tree
• From the trachea, branches off into the bronchial tree, first into the left and right primary bronchi
• further subdivide into secondary bronchi within each lung
• further branch into bronchioles
• alveolar ducts
• alveolar sacs
• alveoli

Question 13

Alveoli

Answer 13

• are surrounded by blood capillaries
• the air-filled interior of each alveoli is separated from those capillaries by an extremely thin layer of cells called the respiratory membrane
• this thin layer that gas exchange occurs by diffusion
• mucus is less sticky because of the production of surfactant to reduce surface tension

Question 14

Pleura

Answer 14

• each lung and the cavity is covered by pleura which is a slippery substance that allows for the lungs to expand
• limits friction between lungs

Question 15

Pleurisy

Answer 15

• Inflammation of the pleura, caused by tumours or bacterial or viral infections

Question 16

Atelectasis and Collapsed Lung

Answer 16

• a collapsed lung due to ANY cause

- A collapsed lung is one that is unable to expand, due to pressure on the outside of the lung

Question 17

Pneumothorax

Answer 17

• a puncture to the visceral pleura or the chest wall

- fills with air; rendering the lung unable to fully ‘inflate.’

Question 18

Hemothorax

Answer 18

• injury/disease that causes blood to fill the pleural space - The lung ‘collapses’ due to the pressure of blood on the outside of the lung

Question 19

Bronchitis

Answer 19

• acute inflammation of the bronchi

- due to infection

Question 20

Pneumonia

Answer 20

• an acute inflammation wherein alveoli become congested with fluids.

Question 21

Tuberculosis (TB)

Answer 21

• chronic lung infection due to the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis
• affects people living in impoverished and crowded conditions

Question 22

Restrictive Pulmonary Disorders

Answer 22

• affect one’s ability to inspire (to breathe in), due to the loss of flexibility of lung tissue

Question 23

Obstructive Pulmonary Disorders

Answer 23

• restrict both inspiration and expiration

- damage to lung tissue or airway obstruction

Question 24

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease = COPD

Answer 24

• umbrella term for 3 types of COPD
  1. Chronic Bronchitis
  2. Emphysema
  3. Asthma

Question 25

Chronic Bronchitis

Answer 25

• swelling of lung tissues and excessive production of mucus that blocks the air passages and impedes exhalation,
• associated with a severe, ‘rattling’ cough
• due to air pollution and cigarette smoke

Question 26

Emphysema

Answer 26

• swelling and rupture of alveoli, leading to a dramatic loss in the area available for gas exchange
• breathlessness and the need for supplementary oxygen

Question 27

Asthma

Answer 27

• spastic contractions of smooth muscle in the lungs, narrowing airways and making breathing difficult.
• stressful events, exercise, lung infections, or inhalation of pollutants

Question 28

Lung Cancer

Answer 28

• loss of lung capacity
• metastasized by the time it’s discovered, so prognosis of the disease is poor.
• smoking and vaping

Question 29

Mechanisms of Breathing

Answer 29

• Air moves in and out of our lungs always from high to low pressure.

Question 30

Process of Inhalation

Answer 30

• must decrease the air pressure in our lungs, allowing the higher air pressure outside of our lungs to flow in to equalize the pressure
• the chest cavity expands
• diaphragm flattens, increasing the up-down volume of the chest cavity, and the external intercostal muscles contract to move the rib cage up and out

Question 31

Process of Exhalation

Answer 31

Two different things can happen:

1. Passive (‘quiet/resting’) expiration: is the diaphragm and exterior intercostal muscles returning to their relaxed state, which reduces the volume of the chest cavity, increasing air pressure in the lungs
2. Forceful expiration: if we need to increase the volume of air moving in and out of our lungs, expiratory muscles (interior intercostal muscles and abdominal muscles) contract, making the ribcage smaller, while the diaphragm is pushed further upward.