Discussion: Common Adult Respiratory Disorders

Discussion: Common Adult Respiratory Disorders

Discussion: Common Adult Respiratory Disorders

Week 3 discussion This week you have learned about common respiratory disorders in the Adult and Geriatric patient. For the purpose of this discussion select one of the following respiratory disorders and provide the following in your initial post: Common Signs and symptoms seen Screening assessment tools Recommended diagnostic tests (if any) Treatment plans both pharmacologic and non pharmacologic based on current clinical practice guidelines Respiratory disorders: COPD Pneumonia Chronic Bronchitis

The respiratory system (also respiratory apparatus, ventilatory system) is a  consisting of specific  and structures used for  in  and . The anatomy and physiology that make this happen varies greatly, depending on the size of the organism, the environment in which it lives and its evolutionary history. In  the respiratory surface is internalized as linings of the .  in the lungs occurs in millions of small air sacs called  in mammals and reptiles, but  in birds. These microscopic air sacs have a very rich blood supply, thus bringing the air into close contact with the blood. These air sacs communicate with the external environment via a system of airways, or hollow tubes, of which the largest is the , which branches in the middle of the chest into the two main . These enter the lungs where they branch into progressively narrower secondary and tertiary bronchi that branch into numerous smaller tubes, the . In  the bronchioles are termed . It is the bronchioles, or parabronchi that generally open into the microscopic  in mammals and  in birds. Air has to be pumped from the environment into the alveoli or atria by the process of  which involves the .

In most , and a number of other  (both  and ) the respiratory system consists of , which are either partially or completely external organs, bathed in the watery environment. This water flows over the gills by a variety of active or passive means. Gas exchange takes place in the gills which consist of thin or very flat  and  which expose a very large surface area of highly  tissue to the water.

Other animals, such as , have respiratory systems with very simple anatomical features, and in  even the  plays a vital role in gas exchange.  also have respiratory systems but the directionality of gas exchange can be opposite to that in animals. The respiratory system in plants includes anatomical features such as , that are found in various parts of the plant