1. Arteriosclerosis can affect a patient's blood pressure by narrowing and hardening the arteries, which can lead to increased resistance to blood flow. This increased resistance can result in higher blood pressure readings as the heart has to work harder to pump blood through the narrowed vessels.
2. Capillaries are the small, single-walled blood vessels that allow for the exchange of oxygen. They surround the structures in the lungs and facilitate the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the blood and the surrounding tissues.
3. Oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange take place in the alveoli of the lungs. The alveoli are tiny air sacs where oxygen from the inhaled air enters the bloodstream and carbon dioxide from the bloodstream is released into the air to be exhaled.
4. The epiglottis functions to block food and liquids from entering the trachea and lungs during swallowing. It acts as a protective mechanism to prevent aspiration, which is when foreign material enters the airway instead of going into the esophagus.
5. The two phases of external respiration are:
a. Pulmonary ventilation (breathing): Involves the exchange of air between the lungs and the external environment.
b. Gas exchange: Involves the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the alveoli and the blood in the pulmonary capillaries.
6. The diaphragm contracts during the phase of external respiration known as pulmonary ventilation. When the diaphragm contracts, it moves downward, increasing the volume of the thoracic cavity and causing air to be drawn into the lungs.
7. Based on the symptoms described, the 75-year-old patient is likely suffering from COPD/Emphysema. This condition is characterized by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, often caused by long-term smoking, leading to airway obstruction, barrel chest due to lung hyperinflation, bluish skin tint due to poor oxygenation, and shallow rapid breathing.
8. The respiratory system works together with the cardiovascular system to deliver oxygen to the body's tissues and remove waste carbon dioxide produced by cellular metabolism.
9. The right lung has three lobes and the left lung has two lobes. The asymmetry in the number of lobes is due to the presence of the heart on the left side of the chest, which displaces the left lung and limits its space.
10. The primary muscle of respiration is the diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle located at the base of the lungs. When the diaphragm contracts, it flattens, increasing the volume of the thoracic cavity and causing inhalation. Relaxation of the diaphragm results in exhalation.
