Diseases of the Respiratory System

1
Diseases of the Respiratory System
2
Infections of the Respiratory tract

• Most common entry point for infections
• Upper respiratory tract
• nose, nasal cavity, sinuses, mouth, throat
• Lower respiratory tract
• Trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli in the
  lungs

3
Fig. 21.1a
4
Protective Mechanisms
Clearance of particles and organisms from the
respiratory tract
Cilia and microvilli move particles up to the
throat ? where they are swallowed. Alveolar
macrophages migrate and engulf particles and
bacteria in the alveoli deep in the lungs.
5
Other Protective Mechanisms

• Nasal hair
• Mucus
• Involuntary responses (coughing)
• Immune cells
• Strengthening the respiratory system through
  exercise helps to strengthen the muscles of the
  body including the heart and diaphragm.
• Vigorous activities can increase lung capacity
  and help your body use oxygen more effectively.

6
Common Disorders of the Respiratory System

• Common Cold- coughing, sneezing and sore throat.
  A cold can be caused by many different things
  such as different viruses and bacterial
  infections of the lining in the nose and throat.
• Sinusitis- caused by viruses or bacteria in which
  the sinuses become swollen and irritated. The
  sinuses provide a moist air space around the
  nose, when they become inflammed you may notice a
  change in your voice. It is often by a stuffy,
  runny nose, pain or swelling in the eyes and
  cheekbones and pressure in the head

7
Strep Throat

• Fever
• Tonsillitis
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Middle-ear infection

8

• Influenza- also called the flu, is a viral
  infection of the upper respiratory tract. It can
  develop into pneumonia, which is a serious
  infection of the lungs.

9
Bacterial Pneumonia
Bacterial, viral or fungal infection can cause
Inflammation of the lung with fluid filled
alveoli
10
Bacterial Pneumonia

• Streptococcus pneumoniae
• 2/3 of all pneumonia
• Risk Factors- old age, season, underlying
• viral infection, diabetes, alcohol and narcotic
  use
• Variable capsular antigen
• Purified component (capsule) vaccine
• Others that cause pneumonia
• Mycoplasma pneumoniae
• Legionella pneumophila

11
Asthma

• Description- Chronic disorder of the respiratory
  tract which cause the airways to be narrowed. The
  condition can be life threatening if untreated.
• Causes- pollution exposure, cigarette smoke,
  extremely cold air, drugs and infections
  (viruses/bacteria)
• Treatment- no real cure, controlling the
  condition is best. For example, a puffer, which
  helps the airways expand.

12
Bronchitis

• Description- when bronchioles or the airways that
  connect the alveoli and the trachea become
  irritated or infected and swell to produce excess
  mucus.
• Symptoms- wheezing, coughing, difficulty
  breathing, fevers, chills.

13

• Causes- exposure to pollutants, cigarette smoke,
  virus, bacteria, harsh chemicals
• Treatments- If the case is bacterial a person can
  take antibiotics, if it is viral then they just
  have to wait it out and get lots of rest, aspirin
  and ibuprofen can help aid in the flu like
  symptoms associated with the illness, a cool
  vaporizer or humidifier can help alleviate
  bronchial irritation.

14
Tuberculosis

• Description- Is a bacterial infection caused by
  mycobacterium tuberculosis. The disease can be
  spread person to person when breathing in
  particles of infected air.
• Symptoms- The bacteria gets in the lungs and
  causes an infection, coughing up mucus, weight
  loss, fever, chest pains

15
Tuberculosis

• Primary
• Lung tubercles, caseous, tuberculin skin reaction
• Secondary (reactivation)
• Consumption Coughing and chronic weight loss
• Dissemination
• Extrapulmonary TB (lymph nodes, kidneys, bones,
  genital tract, brain, meninges)

16
Tuberculosis

• Treatment- requires long antibiotic treatment
  with cocktail of antibiotics because
• of the resistance that develops.

17
Emphysema

• Description- means over inflated lungs
• Cause- occurs when cilia lining the airways is
  damaged. Since they no longer filter and channel
  particles, the bronchioles become clogged and
  less air reaches the alveoli. Air pressure builds
  up causing the lungs to appear inflated. The
  pressure eventually tears the walls of the
  alveoli.

Symptoms- breath and heart rate increase, body
becomes stressed and fatigued. Treatment-
bronchodilators, corticosteroids, oxygen and
antibiotics.
18

• HOMEWORK-
• On page 338 read about Cystic Fibrosis.
  Determine the description, causes, symptoms and
  treatment options for a person with CF.
• On page 339 read about the technologies used in
  the diagnosis of respiratory diseases. Give a
  brief description of each.