Respiratory Alfred Flashcards
(46 cards)
What does central chemoreceptors respond to?
What are peripheral chemoreceptors respond to?
Central - CO2, pH
Peripheral - O2, CO2, pH (smaller effect)
Where do inspiratory neurons get stimulated?
Dorsal respiratory group in the medulla - diaphragm
What is activated at the end of inspiration to termination inspiration and start expiration?
Vagus nerve which negatively feeds back to the central respiratory controls
Where are central chemoreceptors located?
Ventral surface of medulla
Responds to changes in H+ (mediated by CO2) in the CSF (which is not regulated by HCO3 buffers in the blood)
Where is the lowest level of transection of the brainstem that would terminate respiration
Below medulla
How does arterial baroreceptors modulate breathing?
Responds to blood pressure
Hypertension causes hypoventilation
What is the volume of dead space? And how many generations of airways?
150mL
16 generations (terminal bronchioles)
Which way does the diaphgarm move during inspiration?
Moves down normally, but paradoxically moves up if the diaphgram is paralysed
What happen with lung compliance with:
- age
- atelectasis
- pulmonary oedema
- age - increases
- atelectasis - decreases
- pulmonary oedema - decreases
What produces pulmonary surfactant?
Type II alveolar epithelial cells
Which part of the lung has more ventilation in normal respiration??
Base because it is closer to the linear section of the intrapleural pressure and volume
However, at residual volume, there is more ventilation at the top of the lungs because the section on the curve changes

Where is equal pressure point normally?
Respiratory bronchioles
In COPD and asthma, there is earlier obstruction.
The asthma patient has increased resistance in the airways so the fall in pressure is very quick. In COPD patients, the airways is floppy so the airways will collapse at a lower pressure difference
Where is the party of the airways with the most airway resistance?
Medium-sized bromchi (up to generation 7)
Particularly affected in asthma
What is the shape of the pulmonary vascular resistance - lung volume curve and when is the pulmonary vascular resistance the lowest?
U shaped
Lowest at the functional residual capacity
This is because at the high lung volumes, the capillaries are stretches. In small lung volumes, the capillaries are squished and constricted

What is the change of VQ ratio throughout the lung
Top of the lung = high V/Q
Bottom of the lung = low V/Q
THis is because the change of perfusion throughout the lung is a lot more than the change in perfusion (even though both ventilation and perfusion is greater at the bottom)
Type A vs Type B VQ mismatch
Type A - emphysema - lots of dead space - normal CO2 but hypoxia
Type B - chronic bronchitis - shunting - mild hypoxia but increased CO2
Most COPD is on the spectrum
High paCO2 is due to MORE SHUNTING
Why does bronchodilation create an initial V/Q mismatch (especially IV administration) in asthma?
Initially bronchodilation in the vessels occur before the lungs, creathing more V/Q mismatch
What is the most common cause of hypoxia?
V/Q mismatch
What happens to lung volumes in elderly normal
Slightly increased FRC due to increased RV
Obstruction of lung function tests
<0.7 in FEV1/FVC (the ratio, not the percentage compared to normal)
What is differences in lung volumes between restrictive diseases due to intrinsic lung disease vs extrinsic chest wall?
Intrinsic lung disease - equal reduction in RV/TLC
Extrinsic - more reduction in TLC than RV
Best indication of gas trapping in COPD in lung volumes
Functional residual capacity or residual volume
How does smoking affect DLCO?
Decreases DLCO because it creates back pressure of carbon monoxide.
Hence, patients are supposed to not smoke for 12 hours prior pulmonary function tests
How to calculate amount of shunting
Ideal PO2 on 100% oxygen is 670 mmHg
every 20 mmHg below is a 1% shunt