Briefly explain the main cause or mechanism of increase in respiratory rate or depth and/or respiratory difficulties in the following cases: (one to two sentences only)
Fluctuating respiratory rates might be an indication of a deeper problem. Cases such as the ones enumerated below have their own causes, which can be explained by a certain mechanism transpiring inside the depths of the human’s anatomy.
Initiation of exercise
- According to Burton et al. (2004), at the onset of the early phases of exercise, ventilation increases quickly and is followed by a more steady increase. It is believed that the motor center activity and afferent signals from the proprioceptors in the limbs, joints, and muscles are responsible for the abrupt increase in ventilation that occurs at the start of exercise.
Moderate exercise
- Executing moderate exercises requires a large supply of oxygen as it is needed by the body and at the same time, it creates more carbon dioxide since it is necessitated by the muscles working. With this, the heart responds by pumping more oxygenated blood throughout the body when the blood carries more oxygen (Sheff, 2016).
Asthma attack
- When exposed to certain triggers, an excessively sensitive immune system causes airways to swell and become inflamed. Constriction of bronchial tubes is orchestrated by the muscles around the airways that contract and produce excessive mucus (Mayo Clinic, 2021).
Abrupt ascent into high altitudes
- Individuals rising into high altitudes are entangled with a hypoxic challenge because there is a reduced amount of air pressure and oxygen. When hypoxic stress exceeds the subject's capacity to acclimate, a range of high altitude diseases may emerge from the instability of breath (San et al., 2013).
Pneumonia
- Bacterial infection is the prime initiator of pneumonia where the body's natural defenses are compromised, allowing bacteria to enter and grow inside the lungs. Difficulty is then spawned from the inflamed airways and air sacs filled with mucus and other fluids (Cleveland Clinic, 2020).
Paralysis of phrenic nerve
- Compression or invasion of the nerve by a tumor is the frequent cause of the paralysis of the phrenic nerve (Isabela et al., 2010). Damage on the aforesaid nerve may paralyze the diaphragm which in turn can diminish respiratory capacities as well as the regulation of voluntary breathing (Cleveland Clinic, 2022).
Severe tuberculosis with resulting lung scar tissue
- Reactivation of TB bacilli swiftly destroys the lung tissue around the granuloma as it is extremely thin and almost sponge-like due to air-filled alveoli. Although scars often do not show discernible symptoms, it can cause shortness of breath as airways are narrowed (Ravimohan et al., 2018).
Severe anemia
- Maakaron (2021) from Medscape states that anemia roots from three main causes: (1) blood loss, (2) increased RBC lysis, and (3) reduced RBC synthesis. Insufficient amount of iron impedes the production of hemoglobin for red blood cells needed by the body.
Advanced COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Airflow restriction brought on by an inflammatory reaction to inhaled pollutants, frequently cigarette smoke, is known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. As a result, less oxygen reaches your body's tissues, making it more difficult to expel the waste gas carbon dioxide (Wise, 2022).
Advanced pregnancy
- Pressure is exerted by the uterus on the diaphragm during the 31st and 34th week of pregnancy, which instigates dyspnea brought about by increased levels of progesterone. Wherein, in this phenomena, the lungs may struggle to fully expand (Riley, 2022).