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 main cause of the increase in respiratory rate during the initiation of exercise is our body requiring an increased amount of oxygen to supply to its other parts in response to the excitatory impulses induced by the action.
- Moderate exercise
- Similar to what our body experiences during the initiation of exercise, the cause of the increase in respiratory rate during moderate exercise is due to our body producing more heat and carbon dioxide and needing more oxygen to carry out exercises.
- Abrupt ascent into high altitudes
- The sudden change in pressure due to altitude causes respiratory difficulties and an increase in respiration as less oxygen is present in such altitudes.
- Paralysis of phrenic nerve
- The paralysis of the phrenic nerve can cause respiratory difficulties as it affects the diaphragm, an essential factor in respiration.
- Severe anemia
- Blood transports gases throughout our body and our lungs try to compensate for the lack of blood cells being able to transport gas needed by the body by increasing respiratory rate.
- Advanced pregnancy
- The developing fetus in the mother's womb tends to move around and compress organs such as the diaphragm, which is essential in respiration. This is why pregnancy causes increased respiratory rate as the body needs to compensate for the decreased lung capacity and increased demand for oxygen for both the mother and the fetus.