Briefly explain the main cause or mechanism of the increase in respiratory rate or depth and/or respiratory difficulties in the following cases: (one to two sentences only)
1. Initiation of exercise
-The onset of exercise is characterized by an increase in pulmonary ventilation due to the surge in tidal volume and respiratory rate required to attain additional oxygen requirements (Burton et al., 2004).
2. Moderate exercise
-During moderate exercise, oxygen usage and carbon dioxide production in the body both increase in order to supply the energy needed for heightened muscle activity. Accompanying this task is an increase in breathing from 15 times a minute (12 liters of air) during the resting phase to about 40–60 times a minute (100 liters of air) during the exercise phase ("Your Lungs and Exercise," 2016).
3. Asthma attack
-Asthma attack is marked by inflammation, obstruction, and constriction of the muscles in the bronchial tubes, which pose difficulty in breathing. It is triggered by exposure to allergens such as animal dander, dust mites, or pollens (American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology [ACAAI], n.d.).
4. Abrupt ascent into high altitudes
-The main responses of the lungs to abrupt high-altitude exposure are hyperventilation and elevated heart rate, with the goal of obtaining sufficient oxygen supply. There are also signs of increased pressure in pulmonary arteries and endothelial permeability (Cogo, 2011).
5. Pneumonia
-Pneumonia is a condition, frequently caused by bacteria and viruses, in which one or both lungs are infected. The infection leads to the inflammation of the alveoli and a build-up of fluid that makes breathing difficult (Goldman, 2018).
6. Paralysis of phrenic nerve
-The phrenic nerve runs from the C3 to C5 cervical nerve roots of the spinal cord and is responsible for sending signals that make the diagram contract during breathing. Paralysis of this nerve can result in a paralyzed diaphragm, which manifests through symptoms such as shortness of breath and problems during sleeping (Cleveland Clinic, 2022).
7. Severe tuberculosis with resulting lung scar tissue
-Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that primarily affects the tissues of the lungs. In its severe stage, it can cause lung scarring which presents through symptoms such as restrictive and obstructive defects in ventilation (Apostu & Mihăescu 2013).
8. Severe anemia
-Anemia occurs when there is a lack of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood, often caused by a failure of bone marrow or by a deficiency in iron, vitamin B12, or folic acid. Anemia often causes respiratory distress and a systemic increase in breathing rates since the heart and the lungs have to overcompensate to rapidly restore regular oxygen saturation (Lepage, n.d.).
9. Advanced COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
-A frequent symptom of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is rapid respiratory rate, more formally referred to as tachypnea, caused by deviations from the regular levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood and/or lungs. The body may force the lungs to breathe rapidly in order to acquire oxygen and eliminate excess carbon dioxide (Leader, 2020).
10. Advanced pregnancy
-During the second half of pregnancy, expiratory reserve volume (ERV) decreases, functional residual capacity (FRC) decreases, respiratory conductance decreases, and respiratory resistance increases. Certain hormones also cause the smooth muscles in the tracheobronchial tree to relax, resulting in a decrease in total pulmonary and airway resistance (LoMauro & Aliverti, 2015).
REFERENCES:
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. (n.d.). Asthma attack. https://acaai.org/asthma/symptoms/asthma-attack/
Apostu, M., & Mihăescu, T. (2013). Modificări funcţionale pulmonare asociate tuberculozei [Respiratory functional changes in pulmonary tuberculosis]. Pneumologia (Bucharest, Romania), 62(3), 148–157.
Burton, D.A., Stokes, K., & Hall, G. (2004). Physiological effects of exercise. Continuing Education in Anaesthesia Critical Care & Pain, 4(6), 185-188. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjaceaccp/mkh050
Cleveland Clinic. (2022, January 9). Phrenic nerve: Anatomy & function. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22270-phrenic-nerve
Cogo, A. (2011). The lung at high altitude. Multidisciplinary Respiratory Medicine, 6 (14) (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/2049-6958-6-1-14
Goldman, R. (2018, January 20). The effects of pneumonia on the body. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/pneumonia/effects-on-body
Leader, D. (2020, December 7). Overview of tachypnea in COPD. Verywellhealth. https://www.verywellhealth.com/tachypnea-function-and-treatment-914914
Lepage, R. (n.d.). Anemia: The disease that makes you feel like you're running a never-ending marathon. Biron. https://www.biron.com/en/education-center/specialist-advice/anemia-breathing/
LoMauro, A., & Aliverti, A. (2015). Respiratory physiology of pregnancy: Physiology masterclass. Breathe (Sheffield, England), 11(4), 297–301. https://doi.org/10.1183/20734735.008615
Your lungs and exercise. (2016). Breathe (Sheffield, England), 12(1), 97–100. https://doi.org/10.1183/20734735.ELF121.