Pulmonary Flashcards
(111 cards)
when an endotracheal tube is placed, it must be 2-3 cm above what to ensure equal inflation in both lungs?
carina
what must be done after intubation & daily to ensure correct placement?
CXR
what is the parietal pleura?
membrane lining the chest wall
what is the visceral pleura?
membrane lining the lung parenchyma
what allows sliding back & forth whenever we are breathing?
2-3 tsp of fluid inside the parietal pleura & visceral pleura
what keeps the lungs from collapsing between the pleural space?
-5 cm H2o pressure (vacuum pressure)
why would there be a risk for damage related to the thinness of the alveoli wall?
too much positive pressure
what is the difference between type I & type II alveoli cells?
type I compose 90% of alveolar surface area & type II cells produce pulmonary surfactant
what is the importance of pulmonary surfactant? name 3 things
- decreases surface tension in the alveoli
- makes it easier to inflate alveoli during inspiration
- prevents collapse during expiration
what are connected from alveoli to alveoli that clean to maintain the sterility of the alveoli & lungs?
macrophages
what is ventilation & what is it often referred to?
movement of air in & out of the lungs (often referred to as external respiration) (movement of air between the atmosphere & alveoli)
what is perfusion & what does it focus on?
movement / flow of blood (focuses on alveolar capillary)
what is diffusion? it occurs from an area of _____ concentration to _____ concentration
movement of gases across the pulmonary membrane (occurs from an area of high concentration to low concentration)
which 4 things is alveolar diffusion affected by?
- decreased surface area
- thickness of alveolar capillary membrane
- partial pressure of gases (CO2 & O2)
- solubility of the gas (CO2 diffuses across alveolar capillary membrane 20 times faster than O2)
a patient will often become hypoxemic before becoming _____
hypercapnic
what does a shunt unit mean on a VQ scan?
- perfusion > ventilation
- blood passes alveolus w out gas exchange
EXs: pneumonia, atelectasis, tumor, mucus plugs
what does a deadspace unit mean on a VQ scan?
- ventilation > perfusion
- does not participate in gas exchange
EXs: PE or pulmonary infarction
20% shunt =
severe hypoxia
describe the two ways O2 is carried into the blood
- 97% bound to hemoglobin (SaO2)
- 3% dissolved in plasma (PaO2) (partial pressure of oxygen)
what does SaO2 measure?
saturation of arterial blood (O2 saturation of Hgb)
how is the PaO2 measured?
obtaining an ABG
list two ways the saturation of hemoglobin is measured
- ABGs (SaO2) (direct measurement; expensive & painful)
- pulse oximetry (SpO2) (indirect measurement & often times can get false readings)
name some signs & symptoms of hypoxemia
- tachypnea, hyperventilation, dyspnea
- use of accessory muscles / abdominal breathing
- cool, pale, clammy, skin (cyanosis)
- restlessness, agitation, irritability, confusion, personality changes, decreased LOC
- tachycardia, hypertension, palpitations, CP, dysrhythmias
which part of an ABG tells us the patient’s ventilation status?
PaCO2