NREMT Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation Study Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering NREMT lecture notes including airway anatomy, respiratory physiology, diagnostic signs, pediatric considerations, intervention techniques, and respiratory/burn emergencies.

Nasopharynx

The nasal cavity portion of the upper airway.

Oropharynx

The mouth portion of the upper airway.

Pharynx

The throat portion of the upper airway.

Epiglottis

A flap that prevents food and liquids from entering the respiratory tract.

Esophagus

The tube that routes food and water to the stomach.

Larynx

The structure containing the vocal cords, marking the boundary between upper and lower airways.

Cricoid cartilage

The only completely circular cartilaginous ring of the upper airway.

Trachea

The windpipe located in the lower airway.

Bronchioles

Structures composed of smooth muscle and lined with mucous membranes that branch off from the mainstem bronchi.

Alveoli

Millions of tiny air sacs at the end of bronchioles that serve as the site for gas exchange.

Diaphragm

The primary muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity.

Intercostal muscles

Muscles located between the ribs that contract to aid inhalation.

Ventilation

The physical act of moving air into and out of the lungs through the trachea.

Inhalation

The active muscular part of breathing during which the diaphragm and intercostal muscles contract.

Dead space

The volume of inhaled air (approximately $150\,mL$) that does not take part in gas exchange.

Alveolar Ventilation

The amount of oxygen that reaches the alveoli, calculated as tidal volume minus dead space.

Tidal volume

The amount of air in $mL$ that moves in and out of the lungs in one breath.

Minute volume

The amount of air that moves into the lungs in $1\text{ minute}$, calculated by subtracting dead space from total volume moved.

Vital capacity

The amount of air that can be forcefully expelled from the lungs after breathing deeply.

Residual volume

The volume of air remaining in the lungs after a forceful exhalation.

Exhalation

The passive process of breathing where the diaphragm and intercostal muscles relax.

Oxygenation

The process of loading oxygen molecules onto hemoglobin molecules in the bloodstream.

Respiration

The cellular process where energy is taken from nutrients through metabolism, requiring oxygen for the exchange of $O_2$ and $CO_2$ in alveoli and tissues.

Head Tilt/Chin Lift

An airway maneuver performed by placing the heel of one hand on the forehead with firm pressure and fingertips of the alternate hand under the lower jaw to lift the chin upward.

Jaw thrust maneuver

An airway opening technique where fingers are placed behind the angle of the lower jaw to move it upward, used when spinal injury is suspected.

Stridor

A brassy, high-pitched crowing sound heard during inhalation that suggests an upper airway obstruction.

Wheezing

A high-pitched whistling sound heard on exhalation indicating lower airway/bronchi constriction.

Rhonchi

Low-pitched, noisy sounds prominent on exhalation suggesting mucus in the lungs.

Crackles/Rales

Wet cracking sounds produced by air passing through fluid in the alveoli.

Gurgling

Sound caused by fluid in the upper airway, indicating an immediate need for suctioning.

Snoring

Sound indicating an upper airway obstruction typically caused by the tongue.

Vesicular

Normal breath sounds.

Sniffing position

Position where the patient sits upright with head and chin thrust slightly forward to keep the trachea straight and align the spine for ventilation.

Pediatric Assessment Triangle

An assessment tool for children evaluating Appearance, Work of Breathing, and Circulation.

Rigid Catheter

A suction catheter measured from the corner of the mouth to the tip of the earlobe, applied only while withdrawing.

French/whistle tip catheter

A flexible suction catheter used for stoma, clenched teeth, or nose suctioning.

Tonsil tip/Yankauer

A rigid, large-diameter suction catheter best suited for infants and children that will not collapse.

Supraglottic Airway

An advanced airway device that sits above the glottis, indicated for failed endotracheal intubation.

Shiley

A specific type of tracheostomy tube placed directly into a stoma.

Epiglottitis

A bacterial inflammatory disease of the epiglottis causing rapid swelling of soft tissue above the vocal cords, high fever, and tripod positioning.

Pneumothorax

The presence of air in the pleural space, presenting with absent breath sounds on the affected side, hypotension, hypoxia, and tachypnea.

Tension pneumothorax

A life-threatening condition where air enters the pleural space but cannot exit, increasing intrathoracic pressure and leading to tracheal deviation and shock.

Open pneumothorax

An unsealed opening in the chest wall through which air enters.

Hemopneumothorax

A condition characterized by the presence of both blood and air within the chest cavity.

Spontaneous pneumothorax

A pneumothorax caused by structural weakness in the lung, presenting with dyspnea and pleuritic chest pain.

Acute pulmonary edema

Fluid buildup within the alveoli, often secondary to congestive heart failure, leading to severe dyspnea and pink, frothy sputum.

Atherosclerosis

The buildup of plaque on the inside of blood vessels.

Pulmonary Embolism

A blood clot, foreign body, or air bubble traveling through veins to block pulmonary blood flow, preventing gas exchange.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

A slow, progressive process of dilation and disruption of the airways and alveoli, commonly caused by tobacco use.

Chronic bronchitis

An inflammatory condition of the bronchiole lining characterized by excess mucus, reduced cilia, coarse crackles, and a productive cough.

Emphysema

A form of COPD involving damage to alveoli, causing retention of stale air with increased $CO_2$ levels and an unproductive cough.

Pleural effusion

A collection of fluid outside the lung within the pleural space that compresses the lung and causes dyspnea.

Acidosis

The buildup of excess acid in the blood or body tissues.

Alkalosis

The buildup of excess base (alkali) in the body tissues or blood.

Superficial (first-degree) burn

A burn damaging only the outer layer of skin (epidermis), resulting in redness and pain.

Partial-thickness (second-degree) burn

A burn damaging both the epidermis and dermis layers of skin, producing redness, pain, and blistering.

Full-thickness (third-degree) burn

A burn extending through all skin layers into underlying fatty tissue, causing charred skin, exposed fat, and nerve damage.