Gas Exchange Flashcards

Flashcards about Gas Exchange

What is gas exchange?

A process by which oxygen is transported to cells, and carbon dioxide is transported from cells.

Which systems are interconnected with gas exchange?

Neurological, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems.

What is impaired gas exchange?

Lack of oxygen at the cellular level, resulting in hypoxia.

What occurs during optimal gas exchange?

Organs and tissues receive adequate oxygen supply.

What compensatory mechanism occurs during mild impairment of gas exchange?

Increased heart rate and respiratory rate to compensate for decreased oxygen.

What happens with prolonged impairment of gas exchange?

Exhaustion of compensatory mechanisms leads to cellular death.

What characteristics put infants at risk for impaired gas exchange?

Fetal hemoglobin has a shorter lifespan, leading to physiologic anemia around 2-3 months of age; less alveolar surface area; narrow branching of the airways.

What characteristics put older adults at risk for impaired gas exchange?

Stiffening of the chest wall, loss of elasticity in the lungs, weakening of chest muscles, reduced cough effectiveness, dilation of alveoli, decreased pulmonary capillary network, decreased ability to mount an immune response.

How does smoking/vaping affect gas exchange?

Causes inflammation in the lungs.

When assessing a patient, what are the ABCs?

Airway, Breathing, Circulation.

What is included in the objective inquiry of a patient's assessment?

Inspection, palpation, and auscultation.

What function does ventilation provide?

Process of inhaling oxygen into the lungs and exhaling carbon dioxide from the lungs

What function does transportation provide?

Hemoglobin's availability and ability to carry oxygen from the alveoli to cells for metabolism and to carry carbon dioxide from cells to the alveoli for elimination.

What function does perfusion provide?

The ability of blood to transport oxygen-containing hemoglobin to cells and return with carbon dioxide on the hemoglobin to the alveoli.

What does the carina do?

Causes forceful coughing when touched during tracheobronchial suctioning.

What conditions cause interruption to the transport of oxygen?

Anemia, hemorrhage, or sickle cell disease.

Give examples of conditions causing inadequate perfusion

Cardiogenic shock from a myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, and emboli from a deep vein thrombosis.

Impaired carbon dioxide removal increases carbon dioxide levels, resulting in the accumulation of acid in the blood, a condition known as what?

Respiratory acidosis.

If there is impairment to the perfusion or transport of oxygen, then the condition is known as what?

Metabolic acidosis

What are the dangerous effects of smoking?

Tar deposits in lungs, damage to lungs and exposure to toxic chemicals, exposure to second-hand smoke

What vital signs should be measured when assessing gas exchange?

Temperature, pulse rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and pain.

When examining moles, what characteristics are you assessing?

Assess for asymmetrical borders, discolouration, increased size. Advocate for dermatology consult

Where are tracheal breath sounds located?

Trachea and larynx.

Where are bronchovesicular breath sounds located?

Major bronchi, between the scapulae.

What happens to breath sounds if there is an obstruction of the bronchial tree?

Decreased breath sounds occur with obstruction of the bronchial tree, decreased force of inspiration, or air filled cavity.

What are the signs of abnormal breath sounds

Assess for decreased breath sounds which occur with: obstruction of the bronchial tree with secretions or foreign body; decreased 'force' of inspiration with emphysema; air filled cavity such as with a pneumothorax

Describe bronchovesicular sounds

Normal breathings heard in the mid-chest or posterior chest regions between the scapulae

What are the indicators of gas exchange issues in the older adult?

Decreased elasticity, outward curvature of the spine

Why should you recognize changes to gas exchange across the lifespan when completing an assessment?

Changes to gas exchange across the lifespan are important to recognize when completing an assessment

How can you use clinical judgements in recognizing sings of inadequate gas exchange?

Use clinical judgment when comparing expected findings with health conditions to identify unexpected findings