RESPIRATORY SYSTEM1

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
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 RESPIRATORY SYSTEM 2

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
The respiratory system

Respiratory Map What I have learnt Elements affected by COPD,

how and effect of COPD on

oxygen delivery

 Air goes into the body  Air through the nasal  COPD is a condition

via nostrils or the cavity meets that that includes chronic

mouth and into the through the mouth at bronchitis and

nasal passage the pharynx emphysema.

 Once it clears the  The trachea is hollow  Emphysema attacks

nasal cavity, it goes and it is kept open by our air sac while

into the throat (also a series of cartilages; chronic bronchitis

known as pharynx) the same tissue found attacks the bronchi

 In the pharynx, air at the knee joint (airway).

from mouth combines  An average human  A respiratory system

with that from the has about 2400 km of with COPD is

nasal passage airway inflamed causing

 Air proceeds to the  The alveoli are about damage to air sacs.

trachea ( or windpipe) 0.2 mm across  The airways narrows,

 This trachea splits into (diameter). obstructing movement

two segments; the left of air into and out of

and right bronchi the lungs

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 Past the bronchi, the  Inflamed bronchi

respiratory path causes sensitivity and

becomes a smaller irritation and the

tubes which terminate result is rapid

at the bronchioles contraction of

 The bronchioles lead respiratory muscles

the air into finer sac  The result is

called the alveolus significant coughing,

 Alveoli provide a particularly in the

surface through which morning, to clear the

gaseous exchange airway.

occurs between our

blood and the lungs

The respiratory system is the body’s scheme that involves breathing. Once we breathe in, our

body takes in air that contains oxygen that is vital for its normal functioning and also takes out

CO2 that it is no longer needed.

Air is imbibed in through the nostrils, and also through the mouth. This air is channeled through

the nasal cavity and then into the throat. In the throat is the meeting point of the air that came in

through the two channels, and this is also where they mix together to form a single stream. The

air then proceeds further on into a section called the trachea.

 RESPIRATORY SYSTEM 4

The trachea splits into two segments and these form what is called the bronchi. The bronchi are

the structures that lead to the lungs. The trachea is a hollow tube like structure whose shape is as

a result of a series of circular cartilages whose main role is to keep it open.

Once air clears through the bronchi, it is led through a series of tubes which become smaller in

size as the air nears the blood. These tiny tubes are known as the bronchioles and they are the

ones that connect the bronchi to the alveoli. These are balloon like structures surrounded by a

series of blood capillaries.

The walls that make up the alveoli are thin and very close such that oxygen easily seeps through

into the bloodstream while carbon dioxide seeps through into the air sacs. Essentially, carbon

dioxide is removed out of the body.

Once COPD sets in, the respiratory process ceases to be as smooth as described above. COPD

manifests in form of chronic bronchitis or emphysema. The latter condition affects the air sacs

whereas the former is an affliction of the bronchi (Rincon et al., 2005). COPD causes the

respiratory tract to become inflamed and this caused blockage of the bronchi or damage and

deterioration of the alveoli.

The resulting effect of COPD is narrowing of the bronchi which then causes obstruction of the

path that air follows into the lungs. Also, inflammation of the bronchi may cause sensitivity or

irritation (Rincon et al., 2005). An inflamed respiratory tract tends to experience rapid muscular

contraction in order to clear blockage caused by buildup of mucus and this results in coughing,

especially in the morning.

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References

Rincon, F. A., Mcgonnell, B., Van Sickle, S., & Gates, J. (2005). COPD: breathing challenges

explained. Carrollton, TX, Trinity Workplace Learning.