Respiratory System Flashcards

Flashcards about the respiratory system

What does the Mediastinum (middle section of thoracic cavity) contain?

Esophagus, trachea, heart, and great vessels

Where are the lung borders located?

Apex, base, lateral, and posterior positions

What are the differences between the right and left lungs?

Right lung is shorter due to the underlying liver; left lung is narrower because the heart bulges to the left; right lung has three lobes, left lung has two lobes

How does the right main bronchus compare to the left main bronchus?

Shorter, wider with a larger luminal diameter, and more vertical

What defines the thoracic cage?

Sternum, 12 pairs of ribs, and 12 thoracic vertebrae

What are costochondral junctions?

Points at which ribs join their cartilages; they are not palpable

What is the suprasternal notch?

U-shaped depression just above the sternum between the clavicles

What is the sternal angle (Angle of Louis)?

Articulation of the manubrium and sternum, continuous with the second rib

What is the costal angle?

The right and left costal margins form an angle where they meet at the xiphoid process

What lobes are contained in the anterior vs. posterior chest?

Anterior chest contains mostly upper and middle lobe, while the posterior chest contains almost all lower lobes

What is the vertebra prominens?

Most prominent bony spur protruding at the base of the neck

What are spinous processes?

Count down these knobs on vertebrae, which stack together to form the spinal column

How do you assess the anterior, posterior, and midaxillary lines?

Lift up the person’s arm 90 degrees, and divide the lateral chest

How much air is in each respiratory effort?

500 ml air (6-8 L/min.)

What gases are exchanged during gas exchange?

O2, CO2

What equation describes the process of acid-base balancing?

CO2 +H2O↔ H2CO3 ↔ H+ + HCO3-

What is respiration?

The act of air moving into & out of the lungs

Is inspiration active or passive?

Active process

Is expiration an active or passive process?

Passive process

What happens we breathe in?

Diaphragm pulls down, intercostal muscles contract, air pressure is reduced, air is sucked through the tubes into the lungs，and our chest expands

What happens when we breathe out?

Diaphragm relaxes, our intercostal muscles relax, our chest becomes smaller and pressure increases on our lungs, and air is forced out

What kind of Subjective Data is taken w/ a patient?

Color of sputum, allergens, respiratory pattern, chest pain, personal history of lung disorders, tobacco use, occupational exposure, medications

What tests are done to obtain a patient's Subjective Data?

TB test, chest radiograph, vaccines, obesity, travel outside US

Equipment used in objective exam techniques

Stethoscope, alcohol wipe

What is noted during inspection of the posterior chest?

Shape and configuration of chest wall, position taken to breath, skin color and condition, lesions

What is palpated on the posterior chest?

Symmetric chest expansion, tactile (or vocal) fremitus

What is the apperance of the barrel chest shape?

Ratio of anteroposterior to transverse diameter is 1:1

What is scoliosis?

Lateral curvature of the spine

What is kyphosis?

increased rounding of the thoracic spine

Normal respiration (breaths/minute)

12-20

What is the normal ratio for the anterio-posterior to transverse (lateral)?

Normal 1:2

What does Tripod Breathing look like?

Leaning forward, hands on knees

What is Pursed lip breathing?

A slow breathing technique that enables a person to control how much air enters and leaves their lungs

Can a patient speak in ___ if they are experencing no breathing issues?

complete sentences

What is palpatated in the posterior/anterior chest?

Equal chest expansion, trachea midline, crepitus, tactile fremitus

Increased fremitus –

Pneumonia with lung consolidation

Decreased fremitus –

pneumothorax, emphysema, obstructed bronchus

lung condition with unequal chest expansion

decrease lung Expansion at base of lung

Normal percussion is described as

low, pitched, hollow

Dull percussion notes when percussing

soft, muffled thud

Hyper Resonant percussion notes

lower pitched, booming sound

Where to percuss on lungs?

Determine percussion notes over lungs- lung fields, dullness, tympany, flat, Hyper resonance

How is the diaphragmatic excursion performed?

Asking the patient to exhale and hold it, percuss scapular line until sounds change from resonant to dull and mark that spot

Three types of breath sounds heard normally in adults and older child:

Bronchial, sometimes called tracheal or tubular, Bronchovesicular, Vesicular

Vesicular breath sounds

Inspiration >expiration, low pitched, soft; rustling sound; wind in trees

Bronchial breath sounds

Inspiration < expiration, trachea and larynx – loud, high pitched, harsh sound

Broncho vesicular breath sounds

Inspiration = expiration, major bronchi – mixed; moderate pitched

What needs to be tested when there are abnormal breath sounds?

Say “99”, whispered pectoriloquy, egophony

Name the adventitious sounds

Fine crackles (rales), Coarse crackles (Coarse rales; Rhonchi), Atelectatic crackles

What is striodor?

continuous inspiratory high pitched, crowing sound, louder in neck than over chest

What are fine crackles?

Discontinuous, high pitched, short crackling/rattling sound on inspiration

Abnormal Adventitious Sounds:

Wheezes (sibilant), Wheeze (sonorous), Stridor, Pleural friction rub

What is the normal breathing pattern?

12–20 breaths/min and regular

What is tachypnea?

More than 24 breaths/min and shallow

What is bradypnea?

Less than 10 breaths/min and regular

What diagnostic study takes fluid from the lungs??

Thoracentesis

What is Forced expiratory time?

It is a screening measure of airflow obstruction

What is the name of tool used to measure lung health?

Spirometer

What is Pulse oximeter?

Noninvasive method to assess SpO2

What test measures functional status in aging adults?

6-minute walk test (6 MWT)

Radiology diagnostic studies:

Chest x-ray, Computed tomography (CT), Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) scan, Positron emission tomography (PET)

How will a pneumonia patient present?

Tachypnea, Guarding - affected side, Chest expansion - ↓ affected side, Tactile fremitus - ↑

What are the three types of Atelectasis?

Compression, Obstruction, Micro-atelectasis

Pleural Effusion signs and symptoms

Cough, Fremitus - ↓, Percussion – dull, Chest expansion – asymmetrical