Physiology 3.4 Flashcards
(38 cards)
Describe the difference between obstructive and restrictive lung diseases.
Obstructive lung diseases involve obstruction to air flow, particularly on expiration, while restrictive lung diseases involve a restriction of lung expansion.
Do obstructive lung diseases primarily affect air flow during inspiration or expiration?
Obstructive lung diseases primarily affect air flow during expiration due to compression of the airways.
Define chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and provide examples of conditions falling under this category.
COPD includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Asthma is not normally classified as COPD.
How does asthma differ from chronic bronchitis in terms of airway narrowing?
Asthma involves inappropriate constriction of bronchial smooth muscle, while chronic bronchitis involves inflammation of the bronchi, both leading to narrowing of the airways.
Describe the impact of emphysema on air flow and lung elasticity.
Emphysema involves destruction of alveoli and loss of elasticity due to breakdown of elastic fibers, leading to reduced force for air expulsion and decreased elastic recoil.
What are some examples of obstructive lung diseases?
Examples of obstructive lung diseases include asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema.
How do obstructive lung diseases differ from restrictive lung diseases in terms of airway obstruction?
Obstructive lung diseases involve obstruction to air flow due to compression and narrowing of airways, while restrictive lung diseases involve a restriction of lung expansion.
Describe the impact of chronic bronchitis on airway narrowing.
Chronic bronchitis involves inflammation of the bronchi, leading to a narrowing of the airways and compromised air flow, particularly on expiration.
What is the estimated global prevalence of moderate to severe COPD?
Approximately eight million people worldwide are estimated to have COPD in a moderate to severe form.
Describe the prevalence COPD in the UK population.
About one percent of the UK population has moderate to severe COPD, but the actual prevalence is likely higher, especially among individuals over the age of 75.
Define restrictive lung diseases and their impact on lung compliance.
Restrictive lung diseases involve a restriction of lung expansion and a loss of lung compliance, meaning more effort is needed in inspiration to achieve the same change in lung volume.
Do obstructive lung diseases impact inspiration or expiration?
Obstructive lung diseases tend to impact more on expiration.
How does fibrosis contribute to restrictive lung diseases?
Fibrosis involves the formation of fibrous tissue around the elastic tissues in the lungs, creating a stiff lung that is difficult to stretch open during inspiration.
Describe infant respiratory distress syndrome and its impact on lung expansion.
Infant respiratory distress syndrome is caused by inadequate surfactant production, leading to an increase in surface tension and a lung that is less willing to expand on inspiration.
Define pulmonary edema and its impact on lung expansion.
Pulmonary edema involves fluid building up around the alveoli, creating pressure that resists lung expansion.
What is a pneumothorax and how does it affect the relationship between the lung and the chest wall?
A pneumothorax occurs when air is introduced to the pleural cavity, pushing apart the parietal pleural membrane from the visceral pleural membrane, leading to a lung that is no longer related to the chest wall and the diaphragm.
Describe relationship between the lung, chest wall, and diaphragm during pneumothorax.
The lung becomes independent of the chest wall and diaphragm, leading to a loss of lung expansion.
What is spirometry and what does it measure?
Spirometry is a technique used to measure lung function, specifically measuring the volume of air inspired and expired.
Define static and dynamic measurements in the context of spirometry.
Static measurements only consider the volume of air exhaled or inhaled, while dynamic measurements also consider the time taken to inhale or exhale the air.
How are lung function tests commonly diagnosed, and what is a commonly used lung function test?
Lung function tests are commonly diagnosed using spirometry, and a commonly used lung function test is the FEV1 to FVC ratio.
Describe the information available in the British Thoracic Society link related to spirometry.
The link provides accessible and easy-to-read information about spirometry, including normal values for different individuals at different stages of life.
What are the factors that can affect normal values in spirometry?
Normal values in spirometry can vary depending on sex, age, and height.
Do static measurements or dynamic measurements tend to be more helpful in spirometry?
Dynamic measurements tend to be more helpful in spirometry as they consider both the amount of air inhaled or exhaled and the time taken to inhale or exhale the air.
Describe the volumes measured in spirometry, including tidal volume.
The volumes measured in spirometry include tidal volume (the volume of air breathed at rest and quietly), inspiratory reserve volume, expiratory reserve volume, and total lung capacity.
