Unit 4 Flashcards
What are the six major functions of the respiratory system?
- Exchange of gases btwn the atmosphere and bloodstream: O2 is picked up from atmosphere and delivered to blood while CO2 is removed from blood and enters atmosphere.
- Regulation of pH
- Pathogen protection
- Vocalization
- Providing a route for water and heat loss
- Activation of some plasma proteins
What are the four integrated processes for external respiration?
- Pulmonary ventilation–exchange of air
- Gas exchange btwn lungs and bloodstream (simple diffusion)
- Gas transport
- Exchange btwn blood and tissues
The conducting zone (or tree), starting with where air travels from and to, consists of these six anatomical regions…
Air travels beginning to end:
- Nasal cavity
- Pharynx
- Larynx
- Trachea
- Bronchi
- Bronchioles
The respiratory zone (or gas exchange tissue) includes which anatomical structure?
Alveoli
What are two pulmonary problems in the respiratory zone and how does it affect alveoli?
- Emphysema: destroys alveoli → lack of oxygenation and buildup of CO2
- Pneumonia: accumulation of fluid btwn alveoli and blood vessel makes gas exchange harder
How are the lungs associated with the pleural cavities, visceral pleura, parietal pleura?
Fist in balloon :: Lung in pleural cavity
The inner part where lung touches pleural cavity is visceral pleura; the outer part where lung does NOT touch pleural cavity is parietal pleura.
When we breathe, the membranes of the pleural cavity and lungs rub against each other for gas exchange.
What are the five pulmonary pressures?
- Resting pressure: apnea (period of NOT breathing)
- Atmospheric pressure = 760 mm Hg
- Intra-alveolar (intrapulmonary pressure aka pressure in lungs) = 760 mm Hg that is set to 0 mm Hg
- Intrapleural pressure (aka pressure in pleural cavity) = 756 mm Hg or -4 mm Hg
- Transpulmonary or mural pressure = 4 mm Hg
What is pneumothorax?
An abnormal condition where air is in the pleural space that separates the lung from the chest wall.
Intrapleural pressure going -4 mm Hg to 0 mm Hg, so there’s nothing pulling lungs out b/c if pressure increases, volume decreases. PLUS, there’s still elasticity so, like a rubber band, lung will COLLAPSE.
What is the formula for flow?
F = ΔP/R
What is Boyle’s Law?
Pressure and volume are inversely related.
Pressure ↑, Volume ↓ (and vice versa)
Explain the seven steps for NORMAL RHYTHMIC INSPIRATION.
Step 1: An ACTIVE process b/c it involves contraction of diaphragm and external intercostal muscles.
Step 2: This muscle contraction causes the thoracic cavity to enlarge. And as thoracic cavity expands, the pleural cavity expands… Volume ↑
Step 3: Intraplueral pressure then DECREASES from -4 to -6 mm Hg (Boyle’s law)… Pressure ↓
Step 4: This expands the lungs to fill the empty space… Volume ↑
Step 5: The intra-alveolar pressure DECREASES from 0 to -1 mm Hg… Pressure ↓
Step 6: This allows the atmospheric pressure to push air into lungs
Step 7: The intra-alveolar pressure then INCREASES back to zero and air STOPS moving IN
Explain the seven steps for NORMAL RHYTHMIC EXPIRATION.
Step 1: A passive process b/c it causes the relaxation of the diaphragm and external intercostal muscles
Step 2: This causes the thoracic cavity to compress… Volume ↓
Step 3: The intrapleural pressure increases from -6 to -4 mm Hg… Pressure ↑
Step 4: This compresses the lungs… Volume ↓
Step 5: The intra-alveolar pressure increases from 0 to +1 mm Hg… Pressure ↑
Step 6: This forces the air in the lungs to move outward
Step 7: The intra-alveolar pressure then decreases back to zero and air STOPS moving OUT
Explain the seven steps for ENHANCED (FORCED) INSPIRATION.
This is an amplification of the normal pattern. It’s an ACTIVE process.
Step 1: Recruits more muscle fibers in diaphragm and external intercostal muscles and may involve accessory inspiratory muscles such as scalene muscles and sternocleidomastoid.
Step 2: Muscle contraction causes thoracic cavity to enlarge… Volume ↑
Step 3: Intrapleural pressure then DECREASES from -4 to -8 mm Hg… Pressure ↓
Step 4: This expands the lungs to fill empty space… Volume ↑
Step 5: Intra-alveolar pressure DECREASES from 0 to -2 mm Hg… Pressure ↓
Step 6: This allows the atmospheric pressure to push air into lungs.
Step 7: The intra-alveolar pressure then increases back to zero and air STOPS moving IN.
Explain the seven steps for ENHANCED (FORCED) EXPIRATION.
This is an amplification of the normal pattern, EXCEPT it’s an ACTIVE process.
Step 1: It involves the contraction of abdominal muscles and internal intercostal muscles and the relaxation of the respiratory muscles.
Step 2: This causes the thoracic cavity to compress.
Step 3: The intrapleural pressure increases from -8 to -2 mm Hg.
Step 4: This compresses the lungs.
Step 5: The intra-alveolar pressure increases from 0 to +2 mm Hg.
Step 6: This forces the air in the lungs to move outward.
Step 7: Intra-alveolar pressure then decreases back to zero and air STOPS moving OUT.
What are three factors affecting pulmonary ventilation?
- Lung compliance
- Surface tension
- Airway resistance
What is lung compliance?
A factor affecting pulmonary ventilation.
Higher compliance (ease of stretchability) aids ventilation (air gets in easier).
Emphysema INCREASES compliance
Fibrosis DECREASES compliance
What is surface tension?
A factor affecting pulmonary ventilation.
Hinders ventilation.
Surfactant: reduces surface tension by reducing water cohesion to allow stretchability of alveoli. Eases ventilation.
What is airway resistance?
Resistance is influenced by bronchiolar diameter and the amount of mucus. Bronchiolar constriction restricts ventilation.
What are the physical factors for airway resistance?
Inspiration: lungs expand, bronchioles expand
Expiration: lungs compress, bronchioles compress
Asthma: have bronchiolar constriction from smaller diameter and mucus buildup… inhale is easy, but exhale is hard b/c bronchioles compress TOO MUCH during expiration.
What are the nervous system controls for airway resistance and what receptors control them?
Sympathetic: bronchioles dilate (Beta2 receptors)
Parasympathetic: bronchioles constrict (muscarinic receptors)
What are the chemical controls for airway resistance?
Epinephrine: bronchioles dilate
Histamine: bronchioles constrict
Anti-histamine: bronchioles dilate
What is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)?
Difficulty breathing.
Major prob: smoking
Two major causes:
- Emphysema: destruction of lung tissue, less elasticity and increased compliance, bronchioles tend to collapse (less air passage. prob w/ low O2 and too much CO2)
- Chronic bronchitis: inflammation and mucus production, chronic cough, constriction of bronchioles
What are two pulmonary function tests (tests to see how efficient you’re getting air in and out)?
- FEV1 : forced expiratory volume in one second
- Peak expiratory flow (PEF): measures max volume of air breathed out
What is tidal volume?
Amount of air being displaced between normal inspiration and expiration.
Tidal volume = 500 mL
