POST-LECTURE ACTIVITY: RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
1. Initiation of exercise prompts an immediate increase in respiratory rate and depth, mainly driven by the activation of peripheral chemoreceptors and central command, as well as a surge in metabolic activity. The initial response is influenced by the "central command" theory, where the brain anticipates the body's increased oxygen demand and adjusts ventilation accordingly.
2. Moderate exercise leads to a gradual rise in ventilation due to a combination of factors, including increased oxygen consumption by working muscles and the stimulation of peripheral chemoreceptors responding to heightened carbon dioxide and hydrogen ion levels in the bloodstream.
3. Abrupt ascent into high altitudes causes respiratory difficulties as a consequence of hypoxia. The body compensates by increasing respiratory rate and depth in an effort to enhance oxygen intake
4. Paralysis of the phrenic nerve results in a marked reduction in diaphragmatic function, requiring increased respiratory effort to maintain adequate ventilation
5. Severe anemia triggers a compensatory increase in respiratory rate and depth due to diminished oxygen-carrying capacity in the blood, resulting in tissue hypoxia
6. Advanced pregnancy can cause respiratory difficulties due to mechanical factors such as the upward displacement of the diaphragm by the enlarging uterus, leading to reduced lung capacity and increased respiratory rate
References:
Badireddy, M. (2023, August 7). Chronic anemia. StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534803/
Human biological adaptability: adapting to high altitude. (n.d.). https://www.palomar.edu/anthro/adapt/adapt_3.htm
LoMauro, A., & Aliverti, A. (2015). Respiratory physiology of pregnancy. Breathe, 11(4), 297–301. https://doi.org/10.1183/20734735.008615
Mandoorah, S. (2023, August 8). Phrenic nerve injury. StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482227/
Stickland, M. K., Lindinger, M. I., Olfert, I. M., Heigenhauser, G. J. F., & Hopkins, S. R. (2013). Pulmonary gas exchange and Acid‐Base balance during exercise. Comprehensive Physiology, 693–739. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c110048
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