Respiratory System Terminology

breathing

ventilation

CO2

Tasteless, colorless, odorless gas produced by body cells during metabolism

cartilage

Tough, elastic connective tissue that is more rigid than ligaments but less dense than bone

cilia

minute hairlike structures that extend from surface of a cell

cilia escalator

moves particles from trachea upwards to pharynx

diffuse

move/spread out substance at random

O2

Tasteless, odorless, colorless gas essential for human respiration

pH scale

acidity: 1-7

alkalinity: >7\

7=neutral

serous membrane

thin layer of tissue that covers internal body cavities and secretes a fluid that keeps the membrane moist; serosa

larynx

voice box

epiglottis

seals off air passage to lungs during swallowing

trachea

windpipe, smooth muscle with c-shaped rings of cartilage

bronchi

branches leading to lungs (r&l)

mucous membrane/mucosa

membrane on trachea and bronchi; embedded with cilia; traps particles to move to pharynx to be expelled

bronchioles

branches of bronchi

alveoli

tiny air sacs at end of bronchioles

pulmonary capillaries

lie next to alveoli, CO₂ diffuses from the blood and enters alveoli and O₂ diffuses into blood

lung lobes

3 lobes in the right and 2 lobes in the left

mediastinum

space between r&l lungs that contains heart, aorta, esophagus, and bronchi

serous membrane

pleura, covers the lobes of lungs and folds over to line walls of thoracic cavity

visceral pleura

membrane closest to lung

parietal pleura

lines thoracic cavity

pleural cavity

space between visceral and parietal membranes

diaphragm

muscular partition between chest and abdominal cavities; changes volume of the thoracic cavity to produce needed pressure for ventilation

inspiration

breathing in

expiration

breathing out

pulmonary ventilation

breathing

external respiration

the exchange of O₂ and CO₂ between alveoli and blood in pulmonary capillaries

internal respiration

exchange of O₂ and CO₂ between body cells and blood in systemic capillaries.

naso/rhino

nose

septo

septum

sinuso

sinus/cavity

pharyngo

pharynx/throat

adenoido

adenoids

tonsillo

tonsils

epiglotto

epiglottis

laryngo

larynx (voice box)

tracheo

trachea (windpipe)

bronchio/broncho

bronchus/bronchi

bronchiolo

bronchiole

alveolo

alveolus/air sac

pleuro

pleura

pneumo/pneumono

air/lung

pulmono

lung

anthraco

coal

atelo

incomplete/imperfect

conio

dust

cyano

blue

lobo

lobe

ortho

straight

oxo

oxygen

pectoro/stetho/thoraco

chest

phreno

diaphragm/mind

spiro

breathe

capnia

co2

osmia

smell

phonia

voice

pnea

breathing

ptysis

spitting

thorax

chest

brady

slow

dys

bad/painful/difficult

eu

good/normal

tachy

rapid

thoracodynia

chest pain

SOB

shortness of breath

pulmonology

medical specialty concerned with disorders of respiratory system

bronchospasms

spasms in bronchial passages caused by asthma

paroxysmal

sudden and violent spasms

productive cough

cough with mucus

exacerbations

asthma flare ups

systemic infections

infections that affect the entire body

NRDS

Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome in infants born to mothers with diabetes. caused by insufficient surfactant, a phospholipid substance that helps keep alveoli open, has nares, tachypnea, hyaline membrane, and alveolar consolidation

lung cancer

leading cause of death

non-small cell lung cancer

NSLC most lung cancers; adenocarcinomas (begin in cells lining alveoli), squamous cell carcinoma (in thin flat cells lining inside of lungs), and large cell carcinoma (in large cells)

small cell lung cancer

(SCLC) oat cell cancer, characterized by small round cells resembling oat grain. metastasize faster.

crackle

intermittent sounds caused by exudates, spasms, hyperplasia, or when air enters moisture filled alveoli; also called rale

auscultation

use of stethoscope

rhonchus

continuous sound heard during inspiration and expiration caused by secretions in larger airways and commonly resembling snoring

stridor

high pitched, harsh sound caused by spasm or swelling of larynx or obstruction in upper airway

wheeze

whistling or sighing that results from narrowing of the lumen of respiratory passageway

acidosis

excessive acidity of body fluids

apnea

disorder in which breathing stops repeatedly during sleep, resulting in blood deoxygenation causing the patient to awaken gasping for air; sleep apnea

central CSA

form of sleep apnea that occurs when brain fails to stimulate breathing muscles

obstructive OSA

most common form of sleep apnea caused by an upper airway blockage that prevents an adequate flow of air to the lungs

mixed

OSA and CSA

atelectasis

collapsed or airless state of the lung which may be acute or chronic

coronavirus

group of viruses that can cause illnesses like common cold and SARS that are highly contagious and spread through respiratory droplets

covid19

pandemic of new coronavirus that originated in china, loss of taste and smell, fever, cough, tiredness, and difficulty breathing, with some experiencing worsened SOB and pneumonia

coryza

acute inflammation of the membranes of the nose/ rhinitis

croup/croop

childhood condition involving inflammation of the larynx trachea and bronchial passages and sometimes lungs

CF

life threatening genetic disease that causes mucus to become unusually thick plugging tubes and ducts in lungs and pancreas

deviated nasal septum

displacement of cartilage dividing nostrils that causes reduced airflow and sometimes nosebleed

epiglottitis

severe life threatening infection of epiglottis and supraglottic structures that occurs most commonly in children between

epistaxis

nasal hemorrhage; nosebleed

hypoxemia

o2 deficiency in arterial blood; sign of respiratory impairment and causes hypoxia

hypoxia

o2 deficiency in body or a region of the body that causes cyanosis

influenza

Acute, contagious viral disorder of the respiratory tract, characterized by weakness, fever, chills, and muscle pain, especially in the back, arms, and legs; also called flu

pertussis

whooping cough

pleural effusion

abnormal accumulation of fluid in pleural cavity that impairs breathing by limiting the expansion of lungs