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)
- Initiation of exercise
- The sympathetic nervous system is activated when exercise is initiated, resulting in a rapid increase in heart rate. Due to this, our body acquires oxygen and generates energy more rapidly.
- Moderate exercise
- In moderate exercise, our body requires plenty amount of energy. Due to this, our body would need more oxygen to attain desired intensities of the activities, thus having an increased respiratory rate.
- Asthma attack
- Due to the constriction of the airway during an asthma attack, breathing requires more effort. The tissues lining the airways swell due to inflammation and mucus secretion into the airways, also adding the possibility of the top layer of the airway lining to be more damaged and she more, which may further narrow the airway.
- Abrupt ascent into high altitudes
- As altitude increases, the oxygen level decreases. This causes increased breathing effort to obtain oxygen.
- Pneumonia
- Observed in pneumonia, swelling (inflammation) and presence of mucus makes it harder to move air through airways. This leads to difficulty breathing and shortness of breat
- Paralysis of phrenic nerve
- Phrenic nerve damage leads to a paralyzed diaphragm, which greatly affects one’s breathing capabilities. Due to reduced lung capacity, shortness of breath is often experienced.
- Severe tuberculosis resulting lung scar tissue
- Tuberculosis cause airway inflammation, making airways smaller. In terms of lung scarring, this makes breathing more difficult as lungs get stiffer and less elastic.
- Severe anemia
- Hyperventilation and rapid heartbeat are common symptoms experienced by people who have been diagnosed with severe anemia. These symptoms are caused by the body's constant effort to return oxygen levels to normal.
- advanced COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Due to the airways and air sacs in the lungs losing their ability to stretch and shrink back, as well as destroyed tissue where oxygen is exchanged, airflow is obstructed from the lungs.
- Advanced pregnancy
- In advanced pregnancy, enlarged uterus squeezes one’s lungs and diaphragm, resulting to difficulty in breathing.