Respiration and Artificial Ventilation Vocabulary Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary, anatomical concepts, and clinical definitions from Chapter 10 regarding respiration, gas exchange, and artificial ventilation.

Ventilation

The mechanical process of moving air into and out of the chest and lungs.

Inhalation

An active process in which the muscles of the chest and diaphragm contract, enlarging the chest cavity and creating negative pressure that pulls air into the lungs.

Exhalation

A typically passive process in which the chest muscles and diaphragm relax, reducing chest cavity size and creating positive pressure that pushes air out of the lungs.

Tidal Volume

The amount of air moved in one breath during a single cycle of inhalation and exhalation, typically $5-7\,mL/kg$ of body weight.

Minute Volume

The total amount of air moved into and out of the lungs per minute, calculated using the formula $MV = TV \times RR$.

Dead Space

The portions of the airway containing air that does not reach the alveoli and contributes nothing to gas exchange, averaging about $150\,mL$ in an adult.

Alveolar Ventilation

The amount of air that actually reaches the alveoli each minute to participate in gas exchange with the blood.

Alveoli

Microscopic, bubble-like air sacs at the ends of bronchial tubes surrounded by pulmonary capillaries where gas exchange occurs.

Diffusion

The movement of gas molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.

Pulmonary Respiration

The diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the alveoli and circulating blood across the alveolar-capillary membrane.

Cellular Respiration

The diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide that takes place between circulating blood and body cells across cell membranes.

Cardiopulmonary System

The combined functioning of the respiratory system and cardiovascular system working together to deliver oxygen and remove carbon dioxide.

Hypoxia

An insufficiency or low level of oxygen supply to the body's tissues.

Hypercapnia

An abnormally high level or buildup of carbon dioxide in the body.

Chemoreceptors

Specialized sensors in the cardiovascular system that detect changing levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen to stimulate respiratory effort.

Respiratory Distress

A condition in which a patient experiences increased effort to breathe, but compensatory mechanisms are adequately meeting the body's metabolic demands.

Respiratory Failure

Inadequate breathing occurring when compensatory mechanisms can no longer keep up with respiratory demands, serving as a precursor to respiratory arrest.

Respiratory Arrest

The complete stoppage of breathing.

Stridor

A harsh, high-pitched sound heard during inhalation, indicating partial upper airway obstruction.

Cyanosis

A blue or gray discoloration of the skin, lips, tongue, or nail beds indicative of low oxygen levels.

Thoracoabdominal Breathing

An abnormal breathing pattern seen especially in children where the chest falls as the abdomen rises and vice versa.

Artificial Ventilation

The use of positive pressure to force air or oxygen into the lungs when a patient has inadequate breathing or respiratory arrest.

Gastric Distention

The filling of the stomach with air during positive pressure ventilation when air is diverted down the esophagus.

Hyperventilation

Excessively rapid or deep ventilations that blow off too much carbon dioxide, causing blood vessel constriction and reduced cerebral blood flow.

Head-Elevated Sniffing Position

An optimal airway positioning technique combining forward cervical spine flexion and C1-C2 extension to align airway structures.

Suprasternal Notch

The notch at the top of the sternum used as an anatomical landmark to align with the hole of the ear in the sniffing position.

Ramp Position

An airway positioning technique for morbidly obese patients in which the torso is raised to a $45^\circ$ angle to align the ear with the suprasternal notch.

Pocket Face Mask

A soft, collapsible handheld barrier device with a one-way valve used to deliver mouth-to-mask artificial ventilations.

Bag Valve Mask

A handheld ventilation device consisting of a self-inflating bag, one-way valve, and face mask used to deliver positive pressure ventilations.