Inflammation Flashcards
(25 cards)
What is inflammation
Inflammation is the second line of defense in the body’s immune system. It is also the body’s immediate reaction to tissue injury or damage
What causes tissue injury/damage
Physical trauma, intense heat, irritating chemicals, infection
What happens first in an inflammatory response
Tissue or cells are damaged. This causes mast cells to release chemical mediators
What are some chemical mediators are released
Kinin, Prostaglandins and histamine
What does histamine do
Histamine causes increased capillary permeability allowing plasma proteins and immune cells to leak to the injury site.
What causes vasodilation and what does it do
Histamine. It increases blood flow to the site of injury
What is the cellular response in inflammation
Chemotaxis causes chemical mediators to attract neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes to the injury site
What does phagocytosis do in the inflammatory response
It is the process in which dead tissue cells and pathogens are engulfed by macrophages and neutrophils
How does clotting affect inflammation
Leaked clotting proteins form an interstitial wall that prevents the spread of infection
How does the would heal in the inflammatory response
Fibroblasts and endothelial cells restore damaged tissue. Macrophages continue to digest dead cells and pathogens
What are the 5 cardinal signs of inflammation
Redness and heat, Swelling, pain, loss of function
What is systemic inflammation
When the body’s inflammatory response goes beyond the site of injury, resulting in effects all over the body
What are the signs of systemic inflammations
Increased White blood cell count, increased HR and RR, Anorexia and Nausea, Fever and sweating
How do white blood cells reach the injury site
Cytokines released by immune cells cause vasodilation and vascular capillary permeability allowing leukocytes to leak out and migrate towards the injury
What causes increased white blood cell count
Cytokines simulate the bone marrow to produce and release more white blood cell
What increases HR and RR
Sympathetic nervous system activates in response to the injury. Releases adrenaline to increase perfusion
What causes sweating and fever
Prostaglandins stimulate the hypothalamus where temperature is regulated.
What causes anorexia and nausea
Activation of the SNS, supresses the parasympathetic nervous system reducing the activity of the digestive system
Is inflammation only caused by infection
No. Where there is infection there will always be inflammation, however where there is inflammation, doesn’t mean there will be infection
What happens if infection is left untreated
Left untreated, pathogens will multiply and spread increasing the presence of gram -ve and gram +ve bacteria, which can enter the bloodstream
How does infection lead to sepsis
As bacteria and other inflammatory mediators spread through the bloodstream, the body responds with a widespread systemic inflammatory response (sepsis).
What is sepsis
When the body has an overreactive response to infection from the body, resulting in a widespread inflammatory response
Why is sepsis bad
Sepsis can cause organ dysfunction, fluid imbalance, poor perfusion and eventually septic shock
What is the process of sepsis if the patient had an infected tooth
- Bacteria from abcess migrate into the blood stream
- Bacteria is carried through the blood stream to the major organs making them sick
- Blood clots form throughout the body depleting avaiable clotting factors
- Body cells become poisoned ie blood poisoning
- SIRS Sepsis causes a whole body inflammatory state called systemic inflammatory response syndrome or SIRS
- Septic shock
