MOD 6 Flashcards
(25 cards)
What lines the naso- and oropharynx, and what are its functions?
Ciliated mucosa; warms and humidifies air, and is the primary defense line.
How many lobes do the lungs have?
Right lung: 3 lobes; Left lung: 2 lobes.
What is the primary unit for gas exchange in the lungs?
The alveoli.
What are the layers of the pleura?
Visceral (on lungs), parietal (lining thoracic cavity), and pleural space (fluid-filled, negative pressure).
What are the major and accessory muscles of respiration?
major: diaphragm and external intercostals; accessory: sternocleidomastoid and scalenes
What equation describes how CO₂ affects pH?
CO₂ + H₂O ⇌ H₂CO₃ ⇌ H⁺ + HCO₃⁻
What is minute ventilation and its formula?
Volume of air breathed per minute.
Formula: (Tidal Volume - Dead Space) × Respiratory Rate.
What are causes of altered ventilation (mnemonic)?
AEIOU TIPS: Alcohol, Epilepsy, Insulin, Overdose, Uraemia, Trauma, Infection, Psych, Shock.
What does low vs high lung compliance mean?
low: stiff lungs, hard to inflate
high: easy inflation but loss of recoil
What is fremitus and what do changes suggest?
Chest wall vibration when speaking.
Increased: pneumonia; Decreased: emphysema; Absent: pneumothorax.
What are signs of respiratory distress during inspection?
Use of accessory muscles, cyanosis, paradoxical breathing, clubbing.
What are common abnormal breath sounds?
Crackles (fluid), wheezes (narrowing), rhonchi (sputum), stridor (upper airway obstruction).
What percussion sounds are associated with lung pathology?
hyperresonance: pneumothorax/emphysema; dullness: pneumonia/tumour/effusion
What does spirometry measure?
Lung volumes and flow; gold standard for diagnosing pulmonary disease.
Define vital capacity (VC).
VC = IRV + TV + ERV; max air exhaled after max inhalation.
What is the total lung capacity (TLC)?
TLC = IRV + TV + ERV + RV; total air the lungs can hold.
Why is respiratory assessment important in nursing?
Respiratory changes are often the first sign of patient deterioration and are assessed in the rapid primary survey.
What do nurses inspect during a respiratory assessment?
Skin colour, breathing pattern/symmetry, chest shape, nasal flaring, sputum production, clubbing, and use of accessory muscles.
What blood tests can assist in respiratory diagnosis?
FBC (WBC for infection), EUC/BUN/creatinine (renal function), ABG (gas exchange), and CXR (lung changes).
What does an ABG showing compensated respiratory acidosis with hypoxaemia mean?
CO₂ retention with low oxygen levels, indicating chronic respiratory dysfunction.
What factors affect SpO₂ accuracy?
Jaundice, movement, external light, carbon monoxide, peripheral oedema, hypotension, vasoconstrictors.
When is SpO₂ a reliable indicator of oxygenation?
Above 90%; it becomes unreliable below 80%.
What does a peak flow meter measure?
The maximum rate of exhalation (PEF), indicating airway obstruction severity.
Why is a personal best important in peak flow measurement?
It provides a baseline to compare changes, rather than using population-predicted values.
