1. 11.3 Respiratory System Disorders

2. Upper Respiratory Disorders

3. Tonsillitis Infection of tonsils
Redness, swelling, sore throat, fever, swollen glands
Can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection of the
tonsils
Surgery may remove all or part of the tonsils
However this can increase throat infection later on
Tonsils are meant to help prevent bacteria/harmful
substances from entering the respiratory system
-tonsils are meant to be naturally large and shrink with age

4. Laryngitis Inflammation of larynx due to infection, yelling or allergy
Loss of speaking ability b/c the vocal chords cannot vibrate
May also have a hoarse voice
Usually not serious and clears up within days

5. Lower Respiratory Tract

6. Serious lower respiratory disorders may cause considerable damage to the bronchi and lungs
Cause include:
Exposure to infectious pathogens, ex. viruses, bacteria, fungi
Exposure to air pollutants that block our respiratory path -> obstructs air flow and or impedes exchange of gases

7. Pneumonia Alveoli become inflamed and fill with thick fluid
Interferes with gas exchange -> body starves of O2
Viral (usually less severe) or bacterial (need antibiotics)
Can only affect one lobe (lobular pneumonia) at that time or patches all over both lungs (bronchial pneumonia)

8. Lobular pneumonia is caused by bacteria -> can spread out of the lungs, into the bloodstream and affect other tissues
Preventative vaccine = pneumococcal vaccine -> long-term protection from Streptococcus pneumoniae bacterium
Viral infections are treated with anti-viral medications
Note: secondary bacterial infections may occur afterwards -> must be treated with antibiotics

9. Bronchitis
Bronchioles are inflamed and red due to infection, and are filled with mucus
Often bacterial and treated with antibiotics
Chronic cases (i.e. smoking) result in destruction of cilia and can lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD) -> this cannot be cured,
only treated by quitting smoking,
taking meds, or exercising in specialized
Programs

10. Acute bronchitis = short-term, bacterial infection -> treated with antibiotics
Chronic bronchitis = long-term, regular exposure to concentrations of dust, chemical compounds (in a workplace), or smoking
Cilia lining become destroyed
Without the cilia cleaning action bronchi become increasingly inflamed and vulnerable to infection -> mucus accumulates in the bronchi = persistent cough

11. Asthma
Inflammation of bronchi and bronchioles -> narrows the air passageways
Muscles around the airway will contract and cells in the airways may increase mucous production -> further blocking the airway
Caused by inhaling irritants such as pollen, dust and smoke
May experience wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest, and shortness of breath

12. Often starts in childhood and cannot be cured, only managed
Two types of inhalers:
Metered dose inhaler = pressurized canister fitted to a mouthpiece causing a release of liquid medication
Dry powder inhaler = causes a release of a fine, powdered dose
Medications help relax bronchiole muscles and reduce inflammation

13. Emphysema
Alveoli lose elasticity, burst and fuse causing reduced surface area for gas exchange
Difficulty while exhaling b/c airways collapse, trapping air in lungs and blocking airflow
causes an O2 shortage in tissues
Commonly caused by smoking
Classified as COPD and is incurable

14. Symptoms can be managed with inhalers (open up bronchioles) and oxygen tanks (boost O2 to body)
Surgery would include:
Lung volume reduction surgery (removing dead lung tissue) or a lung transplant
Improve quality of life by stopping smoking and avoiding airborne irritants, such as dust and second-hand smoke

15. Cystic Fibrosis
Genetic disorder (mutation of 1 gene) caused by thick mucus in lungs that makes it very difficult to breathe
Mucus traps diseases-causing agents -> difficult to clear bacteria causing lung infections
Mucus also blocks the ducts to the pancreas
preventing digestive enzymes from reaching
the intestines to digest food
No cure, but treatments have improved over
time leading to much greater life expectancy

16. Symptoms can be relieved by medicines that thin mucus
Antibiotics reduce antibacterial infections
Gene therapy is being explored as a potential life-saving treatment
Such as the use of capsules, sprays and nose drops to deliver the unmutated gene to cells lining the airways
The tiny bubbles (liposomes) contain DNA and they fuse to the outer surface of cells -> DNA passes through membranes into cells and the new DNA instructs cells to make the essential protein (thus no more mucous)
-the essential protein is supposed to help govern the production of water and salt

17. Lung Cancer
Cells grow uncontrollably and divide in the lungs to form a tumour or carcinoma
Can grow as large as 8cm -> reduce the respiratory surface
Spreading of cancer is called metastasis -> breaking away from the original site and moving to other areas of the lungs and to other organs and tissues
Cancerous cells that spread = metastatic cells
Leading causes are smoking (due to carcinogens;
second-hand included), air pollutants, radioactive gas
radon, and asbestos

18. Lung cancer is difficult to detect due to location within the thoracic cavity and also difficult to treat
Symptoms include:
Persistent cough, difficulty breathing, chest pain, and loss of appetite
An x-ray does NOT show a presence of tumours until they are quite large and beginning to spread
80% of people die within 5 years of diagnosis -> leading cause of cancer deaths for men and women in Canada

19. Diagnostic Tools CAT or CT scan: rotating X-ray device
Two-photon microscopy: 3D image using photons
Bronchoscopy: camera inserted into bronchi
Radiation therapy: X-rays destroy cancer cells
Chemotherapy: oral or injected chemicals to destroy cancer cells
Lung surgery: physical removal of lung tissue
Laser surgery: lasers destroy cancer cells

20. Homework Read 11.3, do pg. 458 # 20, 23, 24 Pg. 462 # 25, 28, 30