Normal Ventilation and Respiratory Control

The main controller of respiration, closely maintained between 5.1-5.5 kPa.

The volume of gas exchanged during each normal breath.

Maximum volume that can be inspired beyond the normal tidal volume. It's the extra air you can take in after a regular breath.

Maximum volume that can be expired beyond the normal tidal volume, the extra air you can exhale after a regular breath.

The remaining volume of air in the lungs even after a maximal exhalation. It's the air trapped in the lungs.

The maximum amount of air you can move in and out of your lungs in a single breath. It combines tidal volume, inspiratory reserve volume, and expiratory reserve volume.

The maximum volume of air the lungs and airways can hold. It combines vital capacity and residual volume.

The volume of air in the lungs at the end of a normal exhalation. It includes the residual volume and expiratory reserve volume.

The maximum volume of air you can inhale starting from the end of a normal exhalation. It combines tidal volume and inspiratory reserve volume.

The space between the outer surface of the lungs and the inner thoracic wall. It's filled with pleural fluid, which provides a seal to keep the lungs attached to the chest wall.

The primary muscle of ventilation, located in the chest cavity.

The central nervous system control center for breathing, responsible for regulating rate and depth of breaths.

Specialized cells located in the medulla oblongata that detect changes in carbon dioxide levels, triggering adjustments to breathing.

Located in the carotid arteries and aorta, these receptors detect changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood.

The process of delivering oxygen to the lungs and distributing it throughout the body while removing carbon dioxide. It can be done independently by someone or by a medical professional.

The muscles that help with ventilation. The major ones are the diaphragm and intercostals; other muscles may assist.

Describes how easily the lungs and chest wall expand in response to pressure changes. It's an indicator of how easily the lungs can inflate and push air out.

The resistance to airflow through the airways. It's a measure of how easily air can move through the airways.

A condition where the airways become narrowed or blocked, making it difficult to breathe. Obstructive airway disease examples include asthma and bronchospasm.

The process by which oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged between the alveoli and blood capillaries in the lungs.

A condition where the alveoli are unable to expand properly, leading to decreased compliance and reduced gas exchange.

A fundamental physical law stating that, as the volume of a container increases, the pressure inside decreases. This principle is important in understanding how air moves in and out of the lungs.

Drugs that depress the central nervous system, including opiates, making the chemoreceptors less sensitive to CO2.

A condition where breathing is abnormally slow or shallow.

A complete cessation of breathing.

Drugs that relax muscles, including the diaphragm, preventing spontaneous breathing.

The process of regaining consciousness after anesthesia, often involving returning to spontaneous breathing.

The nerve that connects the brainstem to the diaphragm, carrying signals for breathing.