Tag: respiratory
- How People Die: Brain Misfire ()
Chemoreceptors Adjustments of respiration and circulation in response to alterations in the levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide and hydrogen ions in the body fluids are mediated by two distinct chemoreceptive elements, situated peripherally and centrally. The peripheral arterial chemoreceptors, located in the carotid and aortic bodies, are supplied with sensory fibres coursing in the sinus […]
- How People Die: Respiratory Failure ()
When a patient’s respiratory system becomes compromised, the patient is very close to death. If the patient doesn’t improve, the next step is death. Any condition or injury that affects breathing can cause respiratory failure. The condition or injury may affect the airway or lungs. Or it may affect the muscles, nerves, and bones that […]
- Composition of Ambient Air ()
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, commonly known as air, retained by Earth’s gravity, surrounding the planet Earth and forming its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for liquid water to exist on the Earth’s surface, absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through […]
- How People Die: Suffocation ()
There are numerous ways a person can be suffocated (the process of asphyxiation). Sometimes there is nothing structurally wrong with the airway, but something wrong with the air itself (low oxygen environment, poison gases). Perhaps the patient is suffocating because the there is a problem not with the airway, but the lungs. An infection of […]
- Arterial Blood Gas Determination ()
Like spirometry, EMS generally does not perform ABG collection or analysis. The following information is more hypothetical and intended to demonstrate the connection between a patient and a disorder. Blood gas analysis is a commonly used diagnostic tool to evaluate the partial pressures of gas in blood as well as acid-base content. Understanding and use […]
- Respiration and Acid Base Balance ()
Proper physiological functioning depends on a very tight balance between the concentrations of acids and bases in the blood. Acid-balance balance is measured using the pH scale, as shown below. A variety of buffering systems permits blood and other bodily fluids to maintain a narrow pH range, even in the face of perturbations. A buffer […]
- Chemical and Neurological Control of Involuntary Respiration ()
Involuntary respiration is any form of respiratory control that is not under direct, conscious control. Breathing is required to sustain life, so involuntary respiration allows it to happen when voluntary respiration is not possible, such as during sleep. Involuntary respiration also has metabolic functions that work even when a person is conscious. The Respiratory Centers […]
- The Dead Space Gets Filled Up Before Any Air Gets Into The Lungs ()
Dead space represents the volume of ventilated air that does not participate in gas exchange. The two types of dead space are anatomical dead space and physiologic dead space. Anatomical dead space is represented by the volume of air that fills the conducting zone of respiration made up by the nose, trachea, and bronchi. This […]
- Respiratory Volumes & Capacities ()
Spirometry is the most common type of pulmonary function or breathing test. Spirometry is used to determine a given patient’s lung volumes and capacities as the test measures how much air one can breathe in and out of their lungs. Ambulances do not carry such devices. Discussing lung capacities for EMS personnel is complete hypothetical. […]
- It Takes Negative Pressure To Inhale ()
Inspiration (or inhalation) and expiration (or exhalation) are dependent on the differences in pressure between the atmosphere and the lungs. In a gas, pressure is a force created by the movement of gas molecules that are confined. For example, a certain number of gas molecules in a two-liter container has more room than the same […]