Cari’s Story

A. How could an infection in Cari’s nasal passages and pharynx spread into her sinuses? The infection in Cari’s nasal passages and pharynx was able to spread into her sinuses due to the sinuses being a drainage area for the nasal passages.

B. What is the cough reflex?
The cough reflex is used to clear sputum and irritants that are in the nasal passages and pharynx. There are cilia in her trachea that is moving mucus up from the lungs. When the mucus becomes or abundant it triggers the cough reflex.

C. Which structures found in the terminal bronchioles and alveoli normally would protect Cari’s lungs from infectious pathogens and particulate matter? There are macrophages found in the terminal bronchioles and alveoli that normally would protect Cari’s lungs from infectious pathogens and particulate matter.

D. How would the resistance of Cari’s airways be affected by excess mucus and fluid in her lung? The excess mucus and fluid in the lungs would raise the resistance of Cari’s airways because of the small diameter the buildup would cause. The fluid would have some of alveoli under water where they could not function properly and there would also be more friction from the buildup.

E. How would Cari’s lung compliance (the effort required to expand the lungs) be altered as her alveoli fill with fluid due to pneumonia? Cari’s lung compliance would increase from trying to force gases into and out of the alveoli. Those are filled with fluid due to the pneumonia.

F. How would fluid in Cari’s lungs affect her total lung capacity? The fluid in Cari’s lungs would lower her total lung capacity by not allowing the space that is taken up by the fluid to be filled with air.

G. How does the elevation of Cari’s respiratory rate alter her minute
ventilation? The elevation in her respiratory rate would alter her minute ventilation by raising it. Minute ventilation is determined by times ing respiratory rate by total volume.

H. Normal blood oxygen saturation levels are greater than 94%; Cari’s blood oxygen saturation level was 90% at the time of her exam and an initial arterial blood gas analysis done when she was admitted to the hospital revealed her arterial Po2 was 54 mm Hg. How do these clinical finding relate to the internal respiration in Cari’s body? The clinical finding of 90% oxygen saturation level and a Po2 of mmHg would show that the arteries are having too much oxygen, since a normal Po2 of a resting person is 40 mmHg and exercises lower Po2 levels. A normal resting oxygen level should be about 94% with no added Oxygen.

I. Which of the symptoms Cari has described are due to lack of oxygen and reduced oxygen exchange at her tissues? Cari’s symptom of “panting like a dog” is due to the lack of oxygen and reduces oxygen exchange at her tissues.

J. As Cari’s Pco2 rose, how was the oxygen carrying capacity of hemoglobin affected? The oxygen carrying capacity of hemoglobin with rising Pco2 will decrease since CO2 will take O2’s seat on the short bus.

K. How would you have expected Cari’s Pco2 and alkaline blood ph to have affected her breathing? As acidity increases (pH decreases), it enhances the unloading of oxygen from hemoglobin. Since her pH and Pco2 is decreasing, so is her rate of breathing because she does not have to work as hard.

L. How would administration of oxygen enhance Cari’s central drive to breathe? The pH of her blood was rising because she was hyperventilating. The doctors put her on the ventilator to help control the acute change in blood pH until her kidneys can compensate for the respiratory alkalosis.

M. Which anatomical structures in Cari’s respiratory system were initially involved? Nose, throat, sinuses, lungs, throat, and pharynx

N. Why was Cari plagued with a chronic smokers cough?
Because Cari is a smoker this has caused the cilia in her respiratory passages to become paralyzed and secrete excess amounts of mucus that need to be expelled, leading to the smoker’s cough

O.) Which damaging effects of tobacco smoke led to Cari’s impaired respiratory defense mechanism? – Impaired alveolar macrophages can lead to the impaired defense mechanism. When the alveolar macrophages can’t function properly due to the excess mucous buildup, they can’t remove the fine dust particles and other debris from the alveolar spaces.

P. How did the pneumonia affect Cari’s lung function?
It altered the pH of the blood. Excess mucus and fluid in the lungs would raise the resistance of Cari’s airways because of the small diameter the buildup would cause. The fluid would have some of alveoli under water where they could not function properly and there would also be more friction from the buildup.