Anatomy of the Respiratory System

nasal cavity

nose

oral cavity

mouth

3 sections of the pharynx

nasal pharynx, oropharynx, laryngo pharynx

larynx

where vocal cords are located

trachea

airway; behind sternum

main bronchi

where trachea splits

upper respiratory tract

nasal cavity, oral cavity, pharynx

lower respiratory tract

larynx, trachea, main bronchi, lungs

nares

nostrils

nasal conchae

bone projections inside nose

pharyngeal tonsils

located in nasopharynx, behind nose

bronchioles

smallest of the passages

alveoli

fill with air, oxygen exchange; look like bunch of grapes

tree analogy

trachea- tree trunk

main bronchi- largest branches

bronchioles- twigs

alveoli- leaves

diffusion

exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between red blood cells and air, or cells of our tissue

cortex

conscious part of brain; can send signals to stop breathing for a short period of time

chemical receptors

alert our brainstem when CO2 levels increase and oxygen levels become dangerously low

apena

not breathing

hyperpnea

abnormally rapid or deep breathing

hypopnea

really shallow breathing

tachypnea

breathing more rapidly(more than 20 beats/min)

bradypnea

slow breathing(less than 10 beats/min)

Kussmaul breathing

a pattern of deep breathing, associated with people who have diabetes

Cheyne-Stokes breathing

irregular breathing pattern; problem with brainstem, it doesn’t recognize high CO2 levels, take deep breaths to get rid of it, then levels become low, so they take shallow breaths; constant pattern of deep and shallow breaths

flail chest

result of trauma, after breaking 4-5 ribs, the ribs collapse when you breathe; result= can’t breathe

hyperventilation

breathing more than you should, can make you pass out

hypoventilation

not breathing enough; oxygen levels get low, CO2 level gets high

anoxia

no oxygen

hypoxia

low levels of oxygen

hypercarbia

high levels of CO2, often occurs with hypoxia

ABG

arterial blood gas, what is the pressure of CO2 vs oxygen

PaO2

partial pressure of arterial oxygen; between 75-100 when breathing regular air

PaCO2

partial pressure of CO2; between 35-45

room air

normal air, 21% oxygen

FiO2

fraction of inspired oxygen, measure extra/supplemental air in liters per min, each liter per min= +7%

RR/F

respiratory rate/frequency; breathe 12-15 times per min

Tidal Volume

how much air we move in and out with each breath; half stays in airway, half gets to alveoli(500 mL)

Minute Volume

how much air we get in an out per min, about 6000 mL per min

PIP

peak inspiratory pressure, how much pressure is used to push air into lungs, generally 35-40 cm of water

PEEP

peak end expiratory pressure, pressure we leave in lungs after exhaling; when on ventilator= 5, in a hospital, you don’t let the lungs deflate so the alveoli don’t close

Crackles

little water droplets in alveoli, breathing moves droplet and it makes noise as it covers the opening of the alveoli

stridor

wheezing noise when someone breathes in

wheezing

low pitched or high pitched, constriction of airway, whistling when someone breathes out