Unit 7 - Respiratory Disorders Flashcards
What are the 4 functions of respiration?
- Ventilation
- Perfusion
- Diffusion
- Circulation
What are the 3 things that can cause respiratory failure?
- Hypoventilation
- Impaired diffusion
- Pleural disorders
What are the three things that can cause hypoventilation (that would result in respiratory failure)?
- Depression of respiratory centre
- Disease of respiratory muscles or nerves
- Thoracic cage disorders
How can thoracic cage disorder cause hypoventilation?
- SCOLIOSIS - a curve in the backbone will impair the movement of the ribs –> impairs breathing, there will be uneven expansion
- KYPHOSIS (humpback) - issue with the expansion of the ribs = less expansion of the chest = compromises ventilation
What 4 things can result in impaired diffusion (that would cause respiratory failure)?
- Pneumonia
- Interstitial lung disease
- ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome)
- Pulmonary edema
What are characteristics of pneumonia?
- fluid accumulation in the lungs
- expansion will be compromised
- less surface area for diffusion
- respiratory membrane will be thicker = harder to breathe
What are the characteristics of interstitial lung disease?
- Alveoli now have thick membranes
- harder to breathe b/c diffusion distance would be increased and diffusion would be compromised
What are the characteristics of pulmonary edema?
- mitral valve stenosis (left ventricular failure)
- fluid in the lungs = less diffusion
What are the two pleura of the lungs?
- Parietal pleura
2. Visceral pleura
What does the pleural cavity contain?
Contains a thing layer of serous fluid
What is the functional significance of the serous fluid in the pleural cavity?
Allows for chest expansion of the lungs
What are the three kinds of pleural space disorders?
- Pneumothorax
- Pleural effusions
- Fibrothorax
What happens if air enters the pleural space?
Atmospheric air pressure is greater than alveoli pressure
= compress the alveoli (atelectasis)
What are the 4 different kinds of pleural effusions?
- Hydrothorax
- Empyema
- Chylothorax
- Hemothorax
What kind of fluid is in the pleural space in a hydrothorax?
Serious fluid
What kind of fluid is in the pleural space in an empyema?
Pus
What kind of fluid is in the pleural space in a chylothorax?
Lymph
What kind of fluid is in the pleural space in a hemothorax?
Blood
What is building around the lungs when a fibrothorax happens?
Connective tissue
What happens during a pneumothorax?
Air enters the pleural cavity
Why is a pneumothorax bad?
Air takes up space
- restricts lung expansion
- alveoli can collapse b/c the atmospheric pressure is higher than alveolar pressure
What are the two kinds of pneumothoraxes?
- Spontaneous
- air filled blister on the lung ruptures - Traumatic
- air enters through chest injuries
What is an OPEN traumatic pneumothorax?
Air enters pleural cavity through the wound on inhalation and leaves on exhalation
What is a TENSION traumatic pheumothorax?
Air enters pleural cavity through the wound on inhalation but CANNOT leave on exhalation
Why can the alveoli collapse if there is a breach of the pleural cavity (pneumothorax)?
Atmospheric pressure is higher than alveolar pressure
- presses the alveoli shut
True or false:
If an open pneumothorax is small, it will heal be itself
True
True or false:
If an open pneumothorax is large, it will only heal if fixed by surgeons
True
What will a patient experience (S/S) with a tension pneumothorax?
Pain and tension!
How can a tension pneumothorax result in death?
Inferior vena cava can collapse
- if there is a LOT of pressure in the RIGHT lung, it can collapse the vein
What are three features of a pneumothorax?
- Tracheal shift
- Cardiac compression
- Lung deflation
True or False:
Trachea will shift towards the injury in a pneumothorax
FALSE!
- trachea will shift AWAY from the injury
- atmospheric air will push against the lungs, heart, and trachea
What will the lung look like if x-rayed when the patient has a pneumothorax?
When the lung is collapsed, there is a lot of tissue and the lung looks WHITE (it has become more dense)
What are the two manifestations of respiratory failure?
- Hypoxemia
2. Hypercapnia
What are the characteristics of hypoxemia?
- PO2 < 60 mmHg
- cyanosis results
- leads to impaired function of vital centers
- activation of sympathetic system
What happens to the patient (S/S) the sympathetic nervous system responds to low oxygen?
- Agitated, combative behaviour, euphoria, impaired judgement
- Convulsion, delirium
- Stupor, coma
Why do patients develop hypotension and bradycardia when in a hypoxemic state?
As oxygen levels decrease, the neurons on the sympathetic nervous system start to fail, the compensation mechanisms fail (loss or compensation or decompensation)
What are the characteristics of hypercapnia?
- PCO2 > 50 mmHg
- respiratory acidosis develops
What are the S/S of hypercapnia/respiratory acidosis?
- increased RR
- decreased nerve firing
- carbon dioxide narcosis (tremors, confusion, convulsion, coma)
- decreased muscle contraction
- vasodilation (headache, warm flushed skin)
What are 4 obstructive airway disorders?
- Bronchial asthma
- COPD (chronic bronchitis and emphysema)
- Bronchiectasis
- Cystic fibrosis
Why is asthma not classified as COPD?
It is episodic, not chronic
Why does respiratory obstruction happen more easily in children than adults?
Airways are MUCH smaller, therefore, an obstruction will happen much more easily
What are the two respiratory obstruction that occur in children that increase airway resistance?
- Extrathoracic airway obstructions
2. Intrathoracic airway obstructions
What happens in an extrathoracic airway obstruction?
- Prolonged INSPIRATION
- INSPIRATORY STRIDOR
- Patient has difficulty expanding rib cage outward during inspiration
Where does extrathoracic airway obstructions occur?
UPPER airways
Where does intrathoracic airway obstuctions occur?
LOWER airways
What happens in an intrathoracic airway obstruction?
- prolonged EXPIRATION
- WHEEZING
- patient has difficulty pulling ribs inward during expiration
When does stridor occur?
Occurs in the extrathoracic airways during INSPIRATION
- When an object is obstructing the upper conducting tube
- Air is forced through a very small space
Which airways EXPAND during inspiration (2)?
- Alveoli (intrathoracic airway)
2. Bronchi (intrathoracic airway)
What airways constrict during inspiration?
EXTRAthoracic airways
When does wheezing occur?
Occurs in the intrathoracic airways during EXPIRATION
- Pressure in the lungs is going up
- Bronchi construct during expiration
What are 2 upper airway obstructive disorders in children?
- Croup
2. Epiglottitis
What is a lower airway obstructive disorder in children?
Acute bronchiolitis
What kind of pitch is associated with stridor?
High pitched sound on inspiration
What is croup caused by?
Influenza virus - characterized by inspirational stridor
- Cough sounds brassy
When is croup most prevalent in children? Why?
3 months to 3 years of age
- B/c their airways are very narrow
What is the recommendation for a child that is experiencing croup?
Take a walk in the cold air, in the winter months
- Maybe cold air reduces inflammation in the airways(?)
What are the classifications of asthma (2)?
- Extrinsic
2. Intrinsic
What is extrinsic asthma?
Allergic reaction
What is intrinsic asthma?
Attacks precipitated by non-allergic factors
What are some examples of factors that trigger intrinsic asthma (6)?
- Exercise
- Psychologic stress
- Chemical irritants
- Air pollution
- Bronchial infection
- Aspirin
What facilitates the change in the diameter of the airway?
Smooth muscle!
What happens to airway resistance when the smooth muscles of the airways contract?
Increases
What happens to airway conductance when the smooth muscles of the airways relax?
Increases
What is the most common form of asthma in children?
Extrinsic asthma
Describe the process of extrinsic (atopic) asthma.
- Allergen present
- Mast cells release inflammatory mediators
- WBCs enter region and release more inflammatory mediators
- Histamine causes dilation of vessels (red and swollen)
How long does it take for inflammatory mediators from mast cells to cause an acute response in atopic (extrinsic) asthma?
10 – 20 minutes
When will the late phase response of airway inflammation occur in atopic (extrinsic) asthma?
4 – 8 hours
What does extrinsic (atopic) asthma involve?
- Type 1 hypersensitivity
- Have abundant IgE
What airways are affected in asthma?
Intrathoracic airways (not the alveoli)
What kind of cells interacts with IgE during an extrinsic asthma attack?
BASOPHIL (mast cells)
Describe the steps involved when IgE interacts with basophils (mast cells)
- IgE on basophil membrane acts as receptors for the allergen
- Granules in the basophils contain histamine
- When allergen interacts with the IgE on the basophil cell membrane – Degranulation occurs -> histamine is released
- Histamine mediates inflammation in the airway wall
- Mucus secretion and multiplication of muscle cells
What are the effects after histamine is released (4)?
- Glands are bigger and more numerous (result of inflammation)
- Basement membrane is thickened
- Smooth muscle hyperplasia (at expense of lumen)
- More glands produce more mucus (further obstructing airway)
How can we treat broncho asthma (4)?
- Bronchodilators
- Corticosteriods
- Humidifying air
- Anti-histamine
What do bronchodilators do (2)?
- Open lumen
- Relaxes smooth muscles of airway
What do corticosteroids do?
- Reduce inflammation
- Reduce mucus production
- Reduce growth of smooth muscle
- Increases airway conductance
Give an example of a bronchodilator
Ventolin
Give an example of a corticosteroid
Flowvent