Topic 13 Flashcards
3 processes involved in exchange of air
- pulmonary ventilation
- external respiration
- internal respiration
Pulmonary ventilation
result of pressure gradients caused by changed in thoracic cavity volume.
Boyles Law
gas volume is inversely proportional to pressure. as volume increase pressure decrease (vice versa) for the same number of molecules of air (gas amount is constant)
3 pressures involved in pulmonary ventilation
- P atm: atmospheric (760 mmHg) sea level
- P pul: intrapulmonary: air pressure inside lungs (= P atm between breaths)
- P ip: intrapleural: fluid pressure in pleural cavity
Intrapleural pressure is ..
- always < P pul
- usually < P atm (just slightly, 756 mmHg)
- throacic wall recoils, out lungs recoil in but fluid holds them together so P ip decreases slightly
Quiet inspiration
active process (muscles contract). at start P atm =P pul (760 mmHg). no air moves then..
- diaphragm, ext intercostals contract (active) , ⇑ vol. of thoracic cavity
- lungs resist expansion ∴ Pip ⇓ (756⇒754 mmHg)
- higher pressure difference between Ppul and Pip pushes lungs out ⇒ lungs expand ∴ Ppul ⇓ (760 ⇒ 758 mmHg)
- air moves in down P gradient (until Ppul = Patm)
Forced inspiration
active process.diaphragm, external intercostals + sternocleidomastoids, pectoralis minors, scalenes contract (∴ active).⇑⇑ vol. of thoracic cavity ∴ pressure gradient ⇑, and
more air moves in
Quiet expiration
- relax diaphragm, ext. intercostals ⇒ lungs to resting size ∴ ⇓ thoracic cavity size (passive process)
- vol ⇓, Pip ⇑ (754 ⇒756 mmHg) ∴ Ppul ⇑ (760⇒762 mmHg) ⇒ air moves out down pressure gradient
Forced expiration
- laboured or impeded (e.g. asthma) breathing
- relax diaphragm, ext. intercostals + contract internal intercostals, abdominals (active process)
- Pip ⇑ ⇒ lung volume ⇓ ∴ Ppul ⇑ and air moves out
Stretch in lungs determined by either..
- compliance
- recoil
Compliance
effort needed to stretch lungs; low = much effort
Recoil
ability to return to resting size after stretch
Both compliance and recoil =
result of elastic CT + surfactant
Lungs collapse prevented by..
- P ip is always below P pul
- Presence of surfactant
Pneumothorax
air in pleural cavity. Patm = Pip = Ppul so lungs collapse, thoracic wall expands
Surfactant= Lipoprotein / phospholipid mixture
- in watery film coating alveoli (decrease surface tension)
- allows easier stretch of lungs (increase compliance)
- prevents alveolar collapse
Respiratory distress syndrome
newborns to 7 months gestation. inadequate surfactant so alveoli tend to collapse (love compliance) so effort is high which leds to death
Air flow and airway resistance equation
F= air flow P= Patm - Ppul R= airway resistance
Airway resistance determined by diameter of bronchi and bronchioles so..
-inspiratory mechanics open airways/ expiratory close always.
SNS dilates..
bronchiolar smooth muscle
PSNS
contracts it (bronchocontriction)
Asthma, bronchitis, emphysema increase airway resistance so..
more difficult to expire than to inspire
Respiratory volumes used measuring..
spirometer
1 respiration =
1 inspiration + 1 expiration
Tidal volume (TV)
inspired or expired air during quiet respiration (500 ml)
Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV)
excess air over TV take in on a max inspiration (3000 ml)
Expiratory reserve volume (ERV)
excess air over TV pushed out on max expiration (1200 ml)
Residual volume (RV)
volume of air in lungs after maximal expiration (1200 ml)
Minute respiratory volume
TV x respiratory rate (ex: 500 ml x 12 breaths/min = 6L/ min)
Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)
volume expired in 1 sec with max effort, following max inspiration