Download Respiratory System


Respiration
› Unconscious exchange of air between lungs and
the external environment
› Breathing

Two types
› External
 Exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen between the
environment and the organism
› Internal
 Exchange of O2 and CO2 between internal body fluids (Ex:
blood and individual cells)

Oxygen
› Breathed into the lungs (O2)
› Body has a 4-6 minute supply of oxygen

Carbon Dioxide
› Exhaled out of the lungs
› CO2

Gas exchange
› Transfer of oxygen from inhaled air into the blood
and the transfer of carbon dioxide from the blood
into the exhaled air
› http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=5LjLFrmKT
SA&feature=endscreen

Nose/mouth
› Route to take in O2 and expel CO2. mucous
membranes warm and humidify air

Cilia
› Tiny hairs that protect the nasal passages, trachea
and bronchi
› Move back and forth as air is inhaled, pushing
foreign particles (dust) toward the nostrils or pharynx

Pharynx
› Throat

Larynx - AKA the voice box
Between pharynx and trachea
› Contains vocal cords that vibrate against each
other to cause sound
› www.fauquierent.net/voice2.htm

Epiglottis
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvGYvK6qScE
› Lidlike structure at the base of the tongue that
closes during swallowing so that food/drink does
not enter the lungs

Trachea
› Windpipe
› Connects the pharynx to the lungs
› Wrapped in cartilage for protection

Bronchus (plural bronchi)
› The trachea divides into two main bronchi (left
mainstem and right mainstem)
› Main airways within the lungs

Bronchioles
› Branch off of the bronchi.
› Do not contain cartilage
› Small airways within the lungs

Alveolar sacs
›
›
›
›

Located at the end of the bronchioles
Look like a bunch of grapes
Surrounded by capillaries
Site of gas exchange
Lungs
› Right lung: 3 lobes
› Left lung: 2 lobes
Why is the left lung smaller than the right?
Normal vs. Abnormal lung structure

Auscultation
› Listening to sounds within the body using a stethoscope

Percussion
› Tapping on a surface to determine the difference in the density
of the underlying tissue
› “is the underlying tissue solid or filled with air?
› Lungs should sound hollow when tapping over them; should
NOT sound solid
› http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvyrA8c5cY0&NR=1

Sputum
› Mucous expelled from the respiratory tract mixed with saliva
› Able to make diagnoses based on color and composition of
sputum

Rales
› Clicking, rattling and crackling noises
› Caused by the opening of small airways (alveoli
collapse by fluid or lack of air)
› Heard during inspiration where there is fluid or pus in
the alveoli
› Cause: pneumonia, bronchitis

Wheezing
› Whistling sound caused by bronchial airways being
narrowed or obstructed
› Cause: asthma, bronchitis

Rhonchi
› Coarse rattling sound (like snoring) caused by
sputum in the bronchial airways
› Heard during inhalation and exhalation
› Cause: bronchitis
http://www.stethographics.com/main/physiology_
ls_vesicular.html

Chest X ray (CXR)
› X ray of the thoracic region of the body to look
for lung problems (pathology)
› Diagnose pneumonia, TB, asthma

Hypoxemia - low levels of oxygen in the
blood

Dyspnea - difficult, painful breathing

Shortness of breath (SOB) - difficulty
“catching” your breath

Intubation - placement of an endotracheal
(ET) tube into the trachea of a person who is
unable to breathe on their own

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRkleyIJi9U

Upper respiratory infection (URI)
› The common cold, Viral illness, highly contagious
› Lasts for a week
› Symptoms: runny nose, cough, fever, sore throat,
congestion
Would antibiotics be effective as treatment?
Why/why not?

Influenza
› The flu, Viral illness, highly contagious
› Symptoms: chills, fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose,
muscle pain, fatigue
› Annual vaccination is recommended for the elderly, health
care workers, people with chronic diseases and pregnant
women
Why is a vaccine needed every year?
 Chronic, no cure
 Alveoli lose elasticity and deteriorate, CO2 becomes
trapped in alveoli and they become over expanded,
gas exchange is poor
 Usually caused by heavy smoking
 Symptoms: dyspnea, feeling of suffocation, barrel
chest, chronic cough, cyanosis
 Treatment: bronchodilators, oxygen, avoiding
smoking, prompt treatment of infections

Smoker’s lung with
emphysema

Normal lungs

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Any chronic lung disease that results in
obstruction of the airways

Chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma
and tuberculosis can lead to COPD

Smoking is the primary cause

Airflow obstruction due to bronchospasm,
swelling of the bronchioles and/or bronchi,
and increased mucous in the airways.
› Bronchospasm: severe contraction of smooth
muscle covering bronchioles/bronchi

Symptoms: wheezing, cough, dyspnea,
chest tightness, SOB

Reversible with inhaled medications that
relieve the bronchospasm

Bronchoscopy
› A bronchoscope (camera) is inserted into the
airways through the nose or mouth so the doctor
may look for abnormalities within the bronchi.

Tracheostomy
› An airway is created by making an incision into the
trachea through the neck
› Used as an emergency or a
permanent fix