Health Science 1101

Medical Terminology

Module 4The Respiratory System

The Respiratory SystemBasic Terms

Pulmon/o: relating to the lung(s)

Pulmonologist:

Pulmonology:

Pneumo/o or pneumon/o: relating to air or the lung(s)

Functions of the Respiratory System

Provides for gas exchangebrings O2 into body

excretes CO2 from body

Helps regulate blood pH

Contains smell receptors

Filters incoming air

Produces vocal sounds

Excretes water and heat

Upper and Lower Respiratory Tract

Upper respiratory tract includes nasal cavity, oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx

Lower respiratory tract includes trachea and lungs (bronchi, bronchioles and alveoli)

Structures of the Respiratory System

Trachea divides into two primary (1o) bronchi

Primary bronchi divide into two or three secondary (2o) bronchi

and tertiary bronchi and so forth…

The Bronchial Tree and Breathing

Upper Respiratory TractStructure Terms

adenoid/o:

laryng/o:

nas/o or rhin/o:

pharyng/o:

tonsill/o:

trache/o:

epiglott/o

Lower Respiratory TractStructure Terms

alveol/o:

bronchi/o:

bronch/o:

bronchiol/o:

pleur/o:

Respiratory Prefixes

a-

brady-

dys-

eu-

macro-

micro-

tachy-

If -pnea means breathing:

Apnea:

Bradypnea:

Dyspnea:

Eupnea:

Tachypnea:

Respiratory Suffixes-algia

-dynia

-centesis

-ectasis

-stenosis

-osmia

-pnea

-scope

-oxia

-spasm

Respiratory Abbreviation

s

Page 131 in your text

book.

Conditions and Procedures

Basic Breathing Terms

Inhalation or inspiration:

Exhalation or expiration:

Respire:

External:

Internal:

Breathing Conditions

Hyperventilate:

Hypoventilate:

Hypoxia:

Hypoxemia:

Acidosis:

Alkalosis:

Breathing Sounds

crackles:

Friction rub:

rhonchi

stridor:

wheezes:

Lung Sounds (crackles, wheezes and rhonchi)

Croup

Friction rub

Stridor

Respiratory ConditionsLung Issues

Atelectasis: Collapse of lung tissue, preventing exchange of O2 and CO2.

Lung cancer: pulmonary malignancy often attributed to cigarette smoking

ARDS: Acute respiratory distress syndrome. Respiratory insufficiency with progressive hypoxia.

Tuberculosis: Infectious disease that causes small lesions, called tubercles in the lungs.

Respiratory ConditionsLung Issues

Empyema: Pus in a body cavity, especially in the pleural cavity

Pleural Effusion: Abnormal presence of fluid in the pleural cavity

blood: hemothorax

pus: pyothorax

Pneumothorax: collection of air in the pleural cavity, can cause atelectasis.

Other Respiratory Conditions

COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Asthma: Chronic lung disease characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways

Bronchitis: Inflammation of the bronchi

Emphysema: Chronic disease characterized by destruction of alveoli.

Sweet Brown’s Bronchitis

Other Respiratory Conditions

Coryza: A cold. Inflammation of the nasal passages with nasal discharge.

Epistaxis: Hemorrhage from the nose, or a nosebleed.

Influenza: Acute, contagious respiratory infection characterized by sudden onset of fever, chills, headache and muscle pain.

Childhood Respiratory Disorders

Pertussis: Acute infectious disease characterized by distinct whoop sounding cough. AKA Whooping cough.

Croup: Acute respiratory syndrome occurring in children and infants. Characterized by laryngeal obstruction, barking cough and stridor.

Childhood Respiratory Disorders

Cystic fibrosis (CF): genetic disease of the exocrine glands characterized by excessive secretion of mucus causing obstruction of airways.

SIDS: Sudden infant death syndrome. Sudden, unexpected and unexplained death of an apparently well infant. Also called crib death.

Respiratory Testing and Treatment

Respiratory Testing

Arterial Blood Gas (ABG): Measurement of arterial O2 and CO2.

MRI

CT

CXR

Respiratory Testing

Pulmonary function tests (PFT): Tests the ability of the lungs to efficiently exchange O2 and CO2.

Forced vital capacity (FVC): Measurement of the amount of air that can be expelled after deep inhalation.

Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1): The measurement of the volume of air that can be forcefully exhaled during the first second of FCV measuring.

Spirometry: Measurement of FVC and FEV1 that produces a tracing on a graph.

Respiratory TreatmentsBronchodilators: Drugs used to

increase airflow by dilating constricted airways

Corticosteroids: Hormonal agents used to reduce swelling and inflammation associated with chronic lung disease

Nebulized mist treatment: Treatment using a device that sprays a fine mist that delivers medication directly into the lungs.

Respiratory Treatments

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP): The use of mild air pressure to keep airways open.

Postural drainage: The use of body positioning to assist in the removal of secretions lobes of the lungs, the bronchi or the pleural cavity.