FISDAP Airway Exam
1. From the atmosphere, what structures does air pass through during
ventilation?: Starts in atmosphere, then nose, nasopharyngeal
space/orophargyneal space (if mouth breather), then pharynx, larynx, trachea,
bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli
2. What is the purpose of the nasal passages and nasopharynx?: To
warm/humidify air as it passes through
3. What is the difference between respiration and ventilation?: Respiration
refers to the exchange of gases in the alveoli, ventilation refers to the movement
of air into the lungs. Respiration is needed to provide O2 to cells and remove
waste products. Also regulates pH of blood.
4. What are the structures of the upper airway?: nose, mouth, tongue, jaw,
pharynx and larynx
5. What structure is considered a landmark that divides the upper airway
from lower?: The larynx, anything above is upper. The larynx and below are
lower.
6. What are the structures of the lower airways?: larynx (includes adam's
apple/thyroid cartilage, cricothyroid membrane, cricoid cartilage), trachea,
bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli
7. Describe the anatomy of the larynx.: From superior to inferior. Thyroid
cartilage, cricothyroid membrane, and cricoid membrane. The thyroid cartilage
and cricoid cartilage are anterior to the larynx, and the cricothyroid membrane
is posterior to both structures.
8. True or false: the lungs are completely equal in the midsaggital plane.:
False, right lungs has 3 lobes, left lung only has 2 lobes. Together they have 5
total. Also, the right bronchi is inferior to the left bronchi.
9. What are the structures of the lungs in order of ventilation?: bronchioles,
and alveoli
10. True or false: the lungs use muscles found in the lateral lobes to expand
and contract?: False: the lungs are hollow organs and contain no muscles.
When the diaphragm contracts it expands the thoracic cavity. The pleural space
has a negative pressure and the lungs expand. This results in a slightly negative
pressure (compared to the atmosphere) and air rushes in.
11. True or false: Air rushes into the lungs because of negative pressure.:
True, when the lungs expand, they are creating a vacuum because they are
, FISDAP Airway Exam
expanding the volume of the container. This increase in volume causes influx of
air into the container until the pressure is equalized with the atmosphere.
12. True or false: The parietal pleura lines the lungs and the visceral pleura
lines the lungs. The space between is called the anterior pleura.: False: the
visceral pleura lines the lungs, the parietal pleura lines the body cavity and the
pleural space is the space in between both where body fluid allows for both to
smoothly glide.
13. What muscles are involved in inhalation?: The diaphragm, cervical muscles
(neck), intercostals, abdominal muscles, and pectoral muscles.
14. What muscles are involved in expiration?: none, expiration (if done
passively) is achieved by the relaxation of the diaphragm.
15. What is the primary driver of respiration? (Why would we
increase/decrease RR?): The CSF in the brain has chemoreceptors sensitive
to CO2. When there is too much CO2. The pH changes. These sensors feed
back to the medulla oblongata, which stimulates the phrenic nerve which
innervates the diaphragm. They cause an increase in activity of the diaphragm.
This increases the RR which causes us to increase tidal volume. This means
more CO2 is exhaled. And brings our pH back to normal.
We also have the less sensitive hypoxic drive
16. What is hypoxic drive?: Backup system to control respiration.
Chemoreceptors in brain, aorta, and carotid arteries. But they are "satisfied" by
a small amount of O2, which means it is not as sensitive as pH control of CO2
17. What two areas of the brain are involved in respiration?: medulla-controls
rhythm, initiates inspiration, sets base pattern for respirations, and stimulates
diaphragm to contract.
pons-changes depth of inspiration, expiration or both.
18. True or false: arteries bring oxygenated blood to organs/capillaries: True
in most cases with one exception. Arteries (away) bring blood away from the
heart. Usually this is oxygenated blood. But the pulmonary arteries bring oxygen
poor blood away from the heart, to the lungs to be oxygenated.
19. What is the tidal volume?: amount of air moved in/out of lungs in single breath.
Usually 500 ml in adult
, FISDAP Airway Exam
20. What is inspiratory reserve volume?: Deepest breath you can take after
normal respiration
21. What is expiratory reserve volume/Vital Capacity?: maximum amount you
can breathe out after normal breath.
22. What is residual volume?: Remaining gas in lungs after exhalation. This is to
keep lungs inflated
23. What is dead space? What structures are considered part of dead space?:
Part of respiratory system not involved in active respiration. Air moves through
here but little to no respiration occurs. Mouth, trachea, bronchi and bronchioles
considered dead space
24. What is minute volume? What does it measure?: Minute volume = RR x tida
volume. Volume of air moving through lungs in 1 minute. Can be estimated
quickly. Count RR rate. If normal check to see chest rise and fall (tidal volume).
If chest rise and fall is weak and/or little air coming out of nose, then the person
has small minute volume.
25. Alveolar Minute Volume: Volume of air moved through lungs in 1 minute minus
the dead space. Alveolar Minute Volume = (tidal volume - dead space) x RR 26.
Alveolar Ventilation: Volume of air that reaches alveoli.
Alveolar ventilation = tidal volume - dead space
27. Name the characteristics of normal breathing: 1. Normal rate (12-20)
2. regular pattern of inhalation/exhalation
3. clear bilateral lung sounds
4. regular and equal chest rise/fall
5. adequate depth (tidal volume)
28. What are the characteristics of inadequate breathing (adults)?: Chapter 6
1. labored breathing (activating accessory muscles of respiration)
2. 12< or >20 breaths/minute
3. muscle retractions above clavicles or between ribs and below rib cage
4. pale/cyanotic skin
5. cool, damp, clammy skin
6. tripod position
1. From the atmosphere, what structures does air pass through during
ventilation?: Starts in atmosphere, then nose, nasopharyngeal
space/orophargyneal space (if mouth breather), then pharynx, larynx, trachea,
bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli
2. What is the purpose of the nasal passages and nasopharynx?: To
warm/humidify air as it passes through
3. What is the difference between respiration and ventilation?: Respiration
refers to the exchange of gases in the alveoli, ventilation refers to the movement
of air into the lungs. Respiration is needed to provide O2 to cells and remove
waste products. Also regulates pH of blood.
4. What are the structures of the upper airway?: nose, mouth, tongue, jaw,
pharynx and larynx
5. What structure is considered a landmark that divides the upper airway
from lower?: The larynx, anything above is upper. The larynx and below are
lower.
6. What are the structures of the lower airways?: larynx (includes adam's
apple/thyroid cartilage, cricothyroid membrane, cricoid cartilage), trachea,
bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli
7. Describe the anatomy of the larynx.: From superior to inferior. Thyroid
cartilage, cricothyroid membrane, and cricoid membrane. The thyroid cartilage
and cricoid cartilage are anterior to the larynx, and the cricothyroid membrane
is posterior to both structures.
8. True or false: the lungs are completely equal in the midsaggital plane.:
False, right lungs has 3 lobes, left lung only has 2 lobes. Together they have 5
total. Also, the right bronchi is inferior to the left bronchi.
9. What are the structures of the lungs in order of ventilation?: bronchioles,
and alveoli
10. True or false: the lungs use muscles found in the lateral lobes to expand
and contract?: False: the lungs are hollow organs and contain no muscles.
When the diaphragm contracts it expands the thoracic cavity. The pleural space
has a negative pressure and the lungs expand. This results in a slightly negative
pressure (compared to the atmosphere) and air rushes in.
11. True or false: Air rushes into the lungs because of negative pressure.:
True, when the lungs expand, they are creating a vacuum because they are
, FISDAP Airway Exam
expanding the volume of the container. This increase in volume causes influx of
air into the container until the pressure is equalized with the atmosphere.
12. True or false: The parietal pleura lines the lungs and the visceral pleura
lines the lungs. The space between is called the anterior pleura.: False: the
visceral pleura lines the lungs, the parietal pleura lines the body cavity and the
pleural space is the space in between both where body fluid allows for both to
smoothly glide.
13. What muscles are involved in inhalation?: The diaphragm, cervical muscles
(neck), intercostals, abdominal muscles, and pectoral muscles.
14. What muscles are involved in expiration?: none, expiration (if done
passively) is achieved by the relaxation of the diaphragm.
15. What is the primary driver of respiration? (Why would we
increase/decrease RR?): The CSF in the brain has chemoreceptors sensitive
to CO2. When there is too much CO2. The pH changes. These sensors feed
back to the medulla oblongata, which stimulates the phrenic nerve which
innervates the diaphragm. They cause an increase in activity of the diaphragm.
This increases the RR which causes us to increase tidal volume. This means
more CO2 is exhaled. And brings our pH back to normal.
We also have the less sensitive hypoxic drive
16. What is hypoxic drive?: Backup system to control respiration.
Chemoreceptors in brain, aorta, and carotid arteries. But they are "satisfied" by
a small amount of O2, which means it is not as sensitive as pH control of CO2
17. What two areas of the brain are involved in respiration?: medulla-controls
rhythm, initiates inspiration, sets base pattern for respirations, and stimulates
diaphragm to contract.
pons-changes depth of inspiration, expiration or both.
18. True or false: arteries bring oxygenated blood to organs/capillaries: True
in most cases with one exception. Arteries (away) bring blood away from the
heart. Usually this is oxygenated blood. But the pulmonary arteries bring oxygen
poor blood away from the heart, to the lungs to be oxygenated.
19. What is the tidal volume?: amount of air moved in/out of lungs in single breath.
Usually 500 ml in adult
, FISDAP Airway Exam
20. What is inspiratory reserve volume?: Deepest breath you can take after
normal respiration
21. What is expiratory reserve volume/Vital Capacity?: maximum amount you
can breathe out after normal breath.
22. What is residual volume?: Remaining gas in lungs after exhalation. This is to
keep lungs inflated
23. What is dead space? What structures are considered part of dead space?:
Part of respiratory system not involved in active respiration. Air moves through
here but little to no respiration occurs. Mouth, trachea, bronchi and bronchioles
considered dead space
24. What is minute volume? What does it measure?: Minute volume = RR x tida
volume. Volume of air moving through lungs in 1 minute. Can be estimated
quickly. Count RR rate. If normal check to see chest rise and fall (tidal volume).
If chest rise and fall is weak and/or little air coming out of nose, then the person
has small minute volume.
25. Alveolar Minute Volume: Volume of air moved through lungs in 1 minute minus
the dead space. Alveolar Minute Volume = (tidal volume - dead space) x RR 26.
Alveolar Ventilation: Volume of air that reaches alveoli.
Alveolar ventilation = tidal volume - dead space
27. Name the characteristics of normal breathing: 1. Normal rate (12-20)
2. regular pattern of inhalation/exhalation
3. clear bilateral lung sounds
4. regular and equal chest rise/fall
5. adequate depth (tidal volume)
28. What are the characteristics of inadequate breathing (adults)?: Chapter 6
1. labored breathing (activating accessory muscles of respiration)
2. 12< or >20 breaths/minute
3. muscle retractions above clavicles or between ribs and below rib cage
4. pale/cyanotic skin
5. cool, damp, clammy skin
6. tripod position
