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)
1. Initiation of exercise: At the beginning of exercise, the body cells need more ATP; hence cellular respiration happens faster and produces more CO2. CO2 stimulates increased respiration.
2. Moderate exercise: Exercising uses more oxygen and produces more CO2; hence, the respiratory rate rises to get more oxygen and meet the body’s needs.
3. Asthma attack: In asthma attacks, the airways are narrowed and the air gets trapped inside the lungs making it more difficult to breathe; hence, leading to increased respiratory rate.
4. Abrupt ascent into high altitudes: The gas molecules at higher altitudes are less dense and spread farther apart; hence, it is more difficult to breathe. Which then results to reduced oxygen content in the blood; thus, there is an increase in the respiratory rate to maximize the amount of oxygen the body can take.
5. Pneumonia: Inflammation and mucus during an infection makes it difficult to take breaths, resulting to increased respiratory rate.
6. Paralysis of phrenic nerve: Damage or paralysis of phrenic nerve results to diaphragm paralysis or weakness which affects the air exchange ability of the lungs. Diaphragm paralysis results to shortness of breath and breathing difficulty; hence, increasing the respiratory rate.
7. Severe tuberculosis with resulting lung scar tissue: Severe TB causes airway inflammation; thus, making airways smaller, leading to difficulty in breathing. Severe tuberculosis can also result to scarred lung tissues, which are thick and stiff, making it difficult to get oxygen to the rest of the body.
8. Severe anemia: Severe anemia can result to hyperventilation and rapid heartbeat because the lungs overcompensate to bring in more oxygen and restore oxygen levels to normal.
9. advanced COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease): COPD causes airflow blockage which leads to breathing difficulty; hence, resulting to increased respiratory rate with rapid shallow breathing
10. Advanced pregnancy: the changes in the position of some organs leads to decreased amount of air the lungs can handle; thus, increasing the respiratory rate. For some, the high serum progesterone level increases the respiratory drive.
References:
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The Lungs in Pregnancy. (n.d.). Www.nationwidechildrens.org. https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/family-resources-library/the-lungs-in-pregnancy
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Tuberculosis. (2019, January 17). Cancer Therapy Advisor. https://www.cancertherapyadvisor.com/home/decision-support-in-medicine/critical-care-medicine/tuberculosis/