NREMT EMT 6: Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathophysiology - Respiratory System, Anatomy, Physiology of Ventilation, Gas Exchange, Lung Sounds

What This Is: Respiratory System

The respiratory system is like a two-way street for air: it brings oxygen in and carbon dioxide out. Imagine breathing in and out through a straw – if the straw gets blocked, you can't get air in or out. In an emergency, knowing how to help someone breathe is crucial.

Key Steps / Core Facts:

• Ventilation: The process of moving air in and out of the lungs. It's like blowing up a balloon – you need to push air in and then let it out. (OPQRSTI)
• Gas exchange: The process of exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs. It's like a trade – you get oxygen and give up carbon dioxide. (AVPU)
• Lung sounds: The sounds made by the lungs when you listen to them with a stethoscope. Normal sounds are like a gentle whoosh, while abnormal sounds can be like a loud gurgling or wheezing.
• Tidal volume: The amount of air that moves in and out of the lungs with each breath. It's like a small bucket of water – you need to fill it up and then empty it out. (500-600 mL)
• Respiratory rate: The number of breaths per minute. It's like counting how many times you breathe in a minute – normal is 12-20 breaths per minute.
• Oxygen saturation: The percentage of oxygen in the blood. It's like a thermometer for oxygen – normal is 95-100%.
• Chest rise: The movement of the chest when you breathe in and out. It's like a seesaw – when you breathe in, your chest should go up, and when you breathe out, it should go down.
• Airway obstruction: A blockage in the airway that prevents air from moving in and out. It's like a straw with a blockage – you can't breathe.
• Respiratory distress: Difficulty breathing or feeling like you can't catch your breath. It's like running a marathon – you're out of breath and can't keep going.
• Respiratory failure: When the lungs can't get enough oxygen into the blood. It's like a car with a flat tire – you're not going anywhere.

What Laypeople Can Do:

• If someone is having trouble breathing, try to keep them calm and comfortable. Ask them if they have any medical conditions or allergies.
• If someone is choking, try to help them cough up the object by hitting them on the back between the shoulder blades.
• If someone is not breathing, start CPR by calling 911 and pushing down on their chest 30 times.
• If someone is having a severe allergic reaction, try to keep them calm and give them an EpiPen if you have one.

Common Mistakes:

• Mistake: Thinking that a person is breathing normally if they're just making noise. Fix: Check for chest rise and feel for air on your cheek to make sure they're really breathing.
• Mistake: Not calling 911 if someone is having trouble breathing. Fix: Call 911 right away – every minute counts.
• Mistake: Trying to give someone oxygen if they're not breathing. Fix: Start CPR first – oxygen won't help if they're not breathing.

Quick Practice Scenarios:

• A friend is having trouble breathing after a workout – what should you do first?

What should you do first?

Answer: Ask them if they have any medical conditions or allergies and try to keep them calm and comfortable.

Reason: You want to make sure they're safe and not having a severe allergic reaction.

• A child is choking on a piece of food – what should you do first?

What should you do first?

Answer: Try to help them cough up the object by hitting them on the back between the shoulder blades.

Reason: You want to try to dislodge the object before it causes more harm.

• A person is not breathing after a cardiac arrest – what should you do first?

What should you do first?

Answer: Start CPR by calling 911 and pushing down on their chest 30 times.

Reason: Every minute counts, and CPR can help keep their heart beating until help arrives.

Last-Minute Exam Cram:

• Normal respiratory rate: 12-20 breaths per minute
• Tidal volume: 500-600 mL
• Oxygen saturation: 95-100%
• Chest rise: up when breathing in, down when breathing out
• Airway obstruction: blockage in the airway that prevents air from moving in and out
• Respiratory distress: difficulty breathing or feeling like you can't catch your breath
• Respiratory failure: when the lungs can't get enough oxygen into the blood
• CPR compression depth: at least 2 inches
• CPR compression rate: 100-120 compressions per minute
• EpiPen dose: 0.3 mg
• SAMPLE: a mnemonic for assessing a patient's airway, breathing, circulation, disability, and exposure