Anatomy of the Respiratory System

nose

mouth

nasal pharynx, oropharynx, laryngo pharynx

where vocal cords are located

airway; behind sternum

where trachea splits

nasal cavity, oral cavity, pharynx

larynx, trachea, main bronchi, lungs

nostrils

bone projections inside nose

located in nasopharynx, behind nose

smallest of the passages

fill with air, oxygen exchange; look like bunch of grapes

trachea- tree trunk

main bronchi- largest branches

bronchioles- twigs

alveoli- leaves

exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between red blood cells and air, or cells of our tissue

conscious part of brain; can send signals to stop breathing for a short period of time

alert our brainstem when CO2 levels increase and oxygen levels become dangerously low

not breathing

abnormally rapid or deep breathing

really shallow breathing

breathing more rapidly(more than 20 beats/min)

slow breathing(less than 10 beats/min)

a pattern of deep breathing, associated with people who have diabetes

irregular breathing pattern; problem with brainstem, it doesn’t recognize high CO2 levels, take deep breaths to get rid of it, then levels become low, so they take shallow breaths; constant pattern of deep and shallow breaths

result of trauma, after breaking 4-5 ribs, the ribs collapse when you breathe; result= can’t breathe

breathing more than you should, can make you pass out

not breathing enough; oxygen levels get low, CO2 level gets high

no oxygen

low levels of oxygen

high levels of CO2, often occurs with hypoxia

arterial blood gas, what is the pressure of CO2 vs oxygen

partial pressure of arterial oxygen; between 75-100 when breathing regular air

partial pressure of CO2; between 35-45

normal air, 21% oxygen

fraction of inspired oxygen, measure extra/supplemental air in liters per min, each liter per min= +7%

respiratory rate/frequency; breathe 12-15 times per min

how much air we move in and out with each breath; half stays in airway, half gets to alveoli(500 mL)

how much air we get in an out per min, about 6000 mL per min

peak inspiratory pressure, how much pressure is used to push air into lungs, generally 35-40 cm of water

peak end expiratory pressure, pressure we leave in lungs after exhaling; when on ventilator= 5, in a hospital, you don’t let the lungs deflate so the alveoli don’t close

little water droplets in alveoli, breathing moves droplet and it makes noise as it covers the opening of the alveoli

wheezing noise when someone breathes in

low pitched or high pitched, constriction of airway, whistling when someone breathes out