Week 4 Respiratory Flashcards
Structures and functions of the respiratory system.
The respiratory system includes the nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs, facilitating gas exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Physiology of respiration and oxygenation tests.
Respiration involves inhalation and exhalation, with tests like pulse oximetry and arterial blood gas analysis measuring oxygenation.
Control of respiration.
Controlled by the brainstem, respiration adjusts rate and depth based on carbon dioxide levels and oxygen needs.
Respiratory defense mechanisms.
Includes mucociliary clearance, coughing, and immune responses to protect the lungs from pathogens.
Changes in the respiratory system with age.
Aging may lead to decreased lung elasticity, weaker respiratory muscles, and reduced gas exchange efficiency.
Assessment methods for the respiratory system.
Includes objective methods like auscultation and imaging, and subjective methods like patient history.
Clinical manifestations of influenza.
Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, fatigue, and gastrointestinal issues.
Primary goal of care for influenza.
To relieve symptoms, prevent complications, and support recovery.
Medications for influenza treatment.
Conventional: antiviral drugs; Complementary: rest, hydration, herbal remedies.
Clinical manifestations of pneumonia.
Symptoms include cough, fever, chills, difficulty breathing, and chest pain.
Nursing management for pneumonia.
Includes assessment, medication administration, monitoring vital signs, and patient education.
Pathophysiology of COPD.
Characterized by chronic airway inflammation, leading to airflow limitation and breathing difficulties.
Conventional treatment for COPD.
Includes bronchodilators, corticosteroids, and pulmonary rehabilitation.
Nicotine replacement therapy.
Uses products like patches and gum to help quit smoking by reducing withdrawal symptoms.
Physiological effect of nicotine.
Stimulates neurotransmitter release, increasing heart rate and blood pressure, and providing temporary pleasure.
Methods of nicotine replacement.
Includes patches, inhalers, nasal sprays, gum, and lozenges.
Anatomy of the respiratory system (posterior view).
Includes trachea, bronchi, lungs, and diaphragm, showing their arrangement and connections.
Difference between ventilation and oxygenation.
Ventilation is air movement in and out of the lungs; oxygenation is oxygen absorption into the blood.
Inhalation process.
Occurs when the diaphragm contracts, creating negative pressure that draws air into the lungs.
Exhalation process.
Occurs when the diaphragm relaxes, increasing thoracic pressure and pushing air out.
Define diffusion in respiration.
Movement of oxygen from alveoli to blood and carbon dioxide from blood to alveoli.
Capillary and alveoli interaction.
Gas exchange occurs as oxygen enters blood and carbon dioxide exits into alveoli.
Role of chemoreceptors in respiration.
Respond to chemical changes, regulating respiration.
Locations of mechanoreceptors.
Found in lungs, upper airway, chest wall, and diaphragm.
Cough reflex function.
Expels irritants and clears airways, serving as a defense mechanism.
Nasal hairs in defense mechanisms.
Filter air, trapping larger particles to prevent lung entry.
Mucociliary clearance system.
Traps and removes inhaled particles and microorganisms from the respiratory tract.
Bronchoconstriction role.
Narrows airways to reduce airflow and protect lungs from harmful substances.
Function of alveolar macrophages.
Engulf and digest microorganisms and particles in the alveoli.
Defense mechanisms against pollutants.
Include filtration, mucociliary clearance, cough reflex, bronchoconstriction, and alveolar macrophages.
Structural and functional changes in the respiratory system.
Include chest recoil, compliance, immunity, alveoli function, ciliary function, and cough response.
Physical assessment of the respiratory system.
Involves inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation.
Importance of subjective data.
Includes health information, past history, medications, and current health status.
Factors in respiratory health.
Age, gender, socioeconomic status, and social determinants affect respiratory health.
Role of alveolar macrophages.
Clear pathogens and debris from alveoli, crucial for lung defense.
Chest wall compliance significance.
Essential for effective breathing by allowing expansion and contraction.
Significance of ciliary function.
Clears mucus and debris from airways, maintaining respiratory health.
Response to hypoxemia and hypercapnia.
Increases breathing rate and depth to restore gas exchange.
Forcefulness of cough.
Important for clearing secretions and preventing infections.
Types of adventitious lung sounds.
Crackles, wheezing, and stridor are notable sounds.
Oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve significance.
Illustrates hemoglobin’s oxygen acquisition and release, crucial for respiratory function.
Diagnostic imaging studies.
Include chest x-ray, CT scan, MRI, VQ scan, pulmonary angiography, and PET scan.
Define stridor.
High-pitched wheezing sound indicating upper airway obstruction.
Role of hemoglobin.
Transports oxygen to tissues and returns carbon dioxide to lungs.
Importance of chest radiograph.
Visual assessment of lungs to identify infections, tumors, and fluid.
Function of VQ scan.
Evaluates airflow and blood flow in lungs to identify issues like pulmonary embolism.
Significance of pulmonary angiography.
Visualizes lung blood vessels to diagnose clots or malformations.
Use of MRI in diagnostics.
Provides detailed images of lung soft tissues for assessing diseases.
PET scan in diagnosis.
Detects metabolic activity in lung tissues, indicating cancer or diseases.
Blood studies in evaluation.
Include Hemoglobin (Hb), Hematocrit (Hct), and Arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis.
Purpose of sputum studies.
Identify pathogens and assess lung conditions through various tests.
Tuberculin skin test (Mantoux).
Detects tuberculosis exposure by measuring skin reaction.
Significance of chest radiograph.
Visualizes lung structure and identifies abnormalities.
Types of sputum studies.
Include Culture & Sensitivity, Gram Stain, AFB, and Cytology.
Assessing lung inflation on chest x-ray.
Check for clear lung fields and diaphragm position.
Common questions for chest x-ray interpretation.
Are lungs inflated properly? What is the abnormality? How to correlate clinically?
Role of ABG analysis.
Measures oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, providing insight into lung function.
Components of blood studies.
Relevant components are Hemoglobin (Hb), Hematocrit (Hct), and ABG.
Purpose of pulmonary function tests (PFTs).
Measure lung function, diagnose diseases, track progression, and evaluate medication response.
Conditions for PFTs.
Commonly used in asthma, cystic fibrosis, and COPD patients.
Nurse’s role in diagnostic procedures.
Includes patient preparation, monitoring, education, and assisting the physician.
Correlating PFT findings clinically.
Correlate with symptoms, history, and other studies to assess function and guide treatment.
Significance of bronchoscopy and mediastinoscopy.
Visualize airways and mediastinum, can involve biopsy for abnormalities.
Importance of tracking disease progression.
Helps adjust treatment plans and evaluate medication effectiveness.
Role of surfactant during ventilation.
Reduces alveolar surface tension, preventing collapse and supporting gas exchange.
Factor causing air entry during inspiration.
Decreased intrathoracic pressure relative to airway pressure.
Contraction of respiratory muscles.
Facilitates inhalation by creating negative thoracic pressure.
Importance of surfactant levels.
Crucial for reducing alveolar surface tension and ensuring gas exchange.
Effect of carbon dioxide and oxygen levels on respiration.
Increased CO2 and decreased O2 stimulate respiratory muscles to increase breathing rate.
Effect of smooth muscle relaxation.
Allows easier airflow and improved ventilation.
Key respiratory defense mechanism distal to bronchioles.
Alveolar macrophage is the primary defense mechanism.
Procedure to remove pleural fluid.
Thoracentesis is performed for fluid analysis.
Options for respiratory defense mechanisms.
A) Alveolar macrophage, B) Particle impaction, C) Reflex bronchoconstriction, D) Mucociliary clearance.
Purpose of thoracentesis.
To remove pleural fluid for analysis.
Role of alveolar macrophages.
Engulf and digest pathogens and particles in the alveoli.
