NURS 242 Exam 3 Questions and Correct Answers Latest Update 2025
What is ventilation? - Answers the movement of air into and out of the lungs
What is perfusion? - Answers the circulation of blood through the lungs
What are central chemoreceptors responsive to? - Answers increased H+ in the brain ECF;
increased PaCO2;
"hypercarbic drive"
What are peripheral chemoreceptors responsive to? - Answers decreased pH;
increased PaCO2;
decreased PaO2;
"hypoxic drive"
What are elastic forces? - Answers lungs recoil due to elastin, collagen, fibrin
What are surface forces? - Answers surface tension due to water-air interface
What is airway resistance? - Answers opposition to flow caused by the forces of friction; primarily
determined by airway radius
What is the distensibility of the lungs? - Answers ease with which the lungs can be inflated
What is lung distensibility increased in? - Answers neonates and children;
emphysema
What is lung distensibility decreased in? - Answers elderly;
pneumonia, pulmonary edema, ARDS, atelectasis, fibrosis
What is surfactant? - Answers complex substance lining the alveoli and smallest bronchioles containing
phospholipids and a number of apoproteins which reduces surface tension throughout the lungs,
thereby contributing to its general compliance;
stabilizes the alveoli and keeps them dry
What produces surfactant? - Answers produced by the Type II alveolar cells
What is Ohm's law? - Answers velocity = driving force/resistance
What is Poiseuille law? - Answers resistance = (8 x viscosity x length) / (pi x radius^4)
What happens if the radius in the lungs goes down? - Answers the resistance goes up
,How is the ventilation distributed in the lungs? - Answers the top of the lungs are more distended and
less compliant whereas the lower lung is small and highly compliant
What factors affect lung perfusion? - Answers lung capacitance;
low resistance system;
flow influenced by gravity;
resistance primarily determined by vessel radius
What does hypoxia lead to? - Answers vasoconstriction of pulmonary vessels
What does prolonged hypoxia lead to? - Answers pulmonary hypertension
What factors affect alveolar-capillary diffusion? - Answers capillary permeability;
surface area available for diffusion;
concentration gradient for the gas;
distance for diffusion
What causes right shifts (decreased affinity) in Hemoglobin-O2 affinity? - Answers acidemia;
hyperthermia;
hypercarbia
What causes left shifts (increased affinity) in Hemoglobin-O2 affinity? - Answers alkalemia;
hypothermia;
hypocarbia
What is hypoxemia? - Answers deficient blood oxygen;
low PaO2;
low O2 saturation
What is hypoxia? - Answers decreased tissue oxygen
What is hypoxic hypoxia? - Answers decreased tissue oxygen caused by decreased respirations
What is anemic hypoxia? - Answers decreased tissue oxygen caused by decreased hemoglobin
What is circulatory hypoxia? - Answers decreased tissue oxygen caused by decreased blood flow
What is histotoxic hypoxia? - Answers decreased tissue oxygen caused by increased toxic substance
,What is ischemia? - Answers greatly reduced or interrupted flow through the arterial system, producing
significant tissue hypoxia
What is hypercapnia? - Answers increased level of CO2 in the blood
What are S&S of acute hypoxia? - Answers dyspnea; restlessness; palpitations; agitation; headache;
tremors; diaphoresis; respiratory distress; cyanosis; tachypnea; tachycardia; dysrhythmias;
hypertension; lethargy; confusion to coma
What are some effects of hypercapnia? - Answers respiratory acidosis (decreased pH from increase in
CO2); lethargy and confusion; increased HR and BP; flushed skin; arrhythmias; seizures; coma; death
What is dyspnea? - Answers subjective feeling of being SOB
What does dyspnea lead to? - Answers decreased sense of wellness which may cause psychological and
social consequences
What is the leading cause of cancer death? - Answers lung cancer
What is lung cancer most likely caused by? - Answers cigarette smoking;
asbestos;
familial predisposition
What are the manifestations of lung cancer? - Answers cough, hemoptysis (blood in cough sputum);
hoarseness;
chest pain;
often disseminated (spread widely) at time of diagnosis
What are the types of bronchogenic carcinomas? - Answers squamous cell lung carcinoma (25-40%);
adenocarcinoma (20-40%);
small cell carcinoma (20-25%);
large cell carcinoma (10-15%)
What is acute airway obstruction caused by? - Answers foreign body aspiration;
laryngospasm (spontaneous spasm of the vocal cords);
trauma
What is complete acute airway obstruction? - Answers inspiratory chest movements but no air
movement;
, tachycardia, cyanosis, rapid progression to unconsciousness
What is partial acute airway obstruction? - Answers stridor (harsh vibrating noise), wheezing, dyspnea,
tachypnea, tachycardia, retractions (chest moving inward)
What are some respiratory disorders in children? - Answers upper airway infections: viral croup,
spasmodic croup, and epiglotitis;
lower airway infections: acute bronchiolitis
What is croup (laryngotracheobronchitis)? - Answers inflammation of the larynx with a sudden onset;
barking cough with stridor
What are the manifestations of viral croup? - Answers febrile;
upper respiratory infection precedes
What are the manifestations of spasmodic croup? - Answers afebrile;
may be allergic
What is epiglotitis? - Answers bacterial infection of supraglottic structures;
high mortality without treatment
What are the clinical manifestations of epiglottitis? - Answers fever; dyspnea; dysphagia; drooling;
refusal to eat; orthopnea; protruding tongue; wheezing; stridor
What is bronchiolitis? - Answers viral infection of the lower airways often caused by respiratory syncytial
virus (RSV);
may lead to respiratory failure
What are the clinical manifestations of bronchiolitis? - Answers breathlessness; rapid and shallow
breathing; wheezing; retractions; cyanosis; pallor
What are the common respiratory infections? - Answers common cold;
influenza;
pneumonia;
tuberculosis;
fungal infections of the lung
What is rhinitis? - Answers inflammation of the nasal mucosa;
What is ventilation? - Answers the movement of air into and out of the lungs
What is perfusion? - Answers the circulation of blood through the lungs
What are central chemoreceptors responsive to? - Answers increased H+ in the brain ECF;
increased PaCO2;
"hypercarbic drive"
What are peripheral chemoreceptors responsive to? - Answers decreased pH;
increased PaCO2;
decreased PaO2;
"hypoxic drive"
What are elastic forces? - Answers lungs recoil due to elastin, collagen, fibrin
What are surface forces? - Answers surface tension due to water-air interface
What is airway resistance? - Answers opposition to flow caused by the forces of friction; primarily
determined by airway radius
What is the distensibility of the lungs? - Answers ease with which the lungs can be inflated
What is lung distensibility increased in? - Answers neonates and children;
emphysema
What is lung distensibility decreased in? - Answers elderly;
pneumonia, pulmonary edema, ARDS, atelectasis, fibrosis
What is surfactant? - Answers complex substance lining the alveoli and smallest bronchioles containing
phospholipids and a number of apoproteins which reduces surface tension throughout the lungs,
thereby contributing to its general compliance;
stabilizes the alveoli and keeps them dry
What produces surfactant? - Answers produced by the Type II alveolar cells
What is Ohm's law? - Answers velocity = driving force/resistance
What is Poiseuille law? - Answers resistance = (8 x viscosity x length) / (pi x radius^4)
What happens if the radius in the lungs goes down? - Answers the resistance goes up
,How is the ventilation distributed in the lungs? - Answers the top of the lungs are more distended and
less compliant whereas the lower lung is small and highly compliant
What factors affect lung perfusion? - Answers lung capacitance;
low resistance system;
flow influenced by gravity;
resistance primarily determined by vessel radius
What does hypoxia lead to? - Answers vasoconstriction of pulmonary vessels
What does prolonged hypoxia lead to? - Answers pulmonary hypertension
What factors affect alveolar-capillary diffusion? - Answers capillary permeability;
surface area available for diffusion;
concentration gradient for the gas;
distance for diffusion
What causes right shifts (decreased affinity) in Hemoglobin-O2 affinity? - Answers acidemia;
hyperthermia;
hypercarbia
What causes left shifts (increased affinity) in Hemoglobin-O2 affinity? - Answers alkalemia;
hypothermia;
hypocarbia
What is hypoxemia? - Answers deficient blood oxygen;
low PaO2;
low O2 saturation
What is hypoxia? - Answers decreased tissue oxygen
What is hypoxic hypoxia? - Answers decreased tissue oxygen caused by decreased respirations
What is anemic hypoxia? - Answers decreased tissue oxygen caused by decreased hemoglobin
What is circulatory hypoxia? - Answers decreased tissue oxygen caused by decreased blood flow
What is histotoxic hypoxia? - Answers decreased tissue oxygen caused by increased toxic substance
,What is ischemia? - Answers greatly reduced or interrupted flow through the arterial system, producing
significant tissue hypoxia
What is hypercapnia? - Answers increased level of CO2 in the blood
What are S&S of acute hypoxia? - Answers dyspnea; restlessness; palpitations; agitation; headache;
tremors; diaphoresis; respiratory distress; cyanosis; tachypnea; tachycardia; dysrhythmias;
hypertension; lethargy; confusion to coma
What are some effects of hypercapnia? - Answers respiratory acidosis (decreased pH from increase in
CO2); lethargy and confusion; increased HR and BP; flushed skin; arrhythmias; seizures; coma; death
What is dyspnea? - Answers subjective feeling of being SOB
What does dyspnea lead to? - Answers decreased sense of wellness which may cause psychological and
social consequences
What is the leading cause of cancer death? - Answers lung cancer
What is lung cancer most likely caused by? - Answers cigarette smoking;
asbestos;
familial predisposition
What are the manifestations of lung cancer? - Answers cough, hemoptysis (blood in cough sputum);
hoarseness;
chest pain;
often disseminated (spread widely) at time of diagnosis
What are the types of bronchogenic carcinomas? - Answers squamous cell lung carcinoma (25-40%);
adenocarcinoma (20-40%);
small cell carcinoma (20-25%);
large cell carcinoma (10-15%)
What is acute airway obstruction caused by? - Answers foreign body aspiration;
laryngospasm (spontaneous spasm of the vocal cords);
trauma
What is complete acute airway obstruction? - Answers inspiratory chest movements but no air
movement;
, tachycardia, cyanosis, rapid progression to unconsciousness
What is partial acute airway obstruction? - Answers stridor (harsh vibrating noise), wheezing, dyspnea,
tachypnea, tachycardia, retractions (chest moving inward)
What are some respiratory disorders in children? - Answers upper airway infections: viral croup,
spasmodic croup, and epiglotitis;
lower airway infections: acute bronchiolitis
What is croup (laryngotracheobronchitis)? - Answers inflammation of the larynx with a sudden onset;
barking cough with stridor
What are the manifestations of viral croup? - Answers febrile;
upper respiratory infection precedes
What are the manifestations of spasmodic croup? - Answers afebrile;
may be allergic
What is epiglotitis? - Answers bacterial infection of supraglottic structures;
high mortality without treatment
What are the clinical manifestations of epiglottitis? - Answers fever; dyspnea; dysphagia; drooling;
refusal to eat; orthopnea; protruding tongue; wheezing; stridor
What is bronchiolitis? - Answers viral infection of the lower airways often caused by respiratory syncytial
virus (RSV);
may lead to respiratory failure
What are the clinical manifestations of bronchiolitis? - Answers breathlessness; rapid and shallow
breathing; wheezing; retractions; cyanosis; pallor
What are the common respiratory infections? - Answers common cold;
influenza;
pneumonia;
tuberculosis;
fungal infections of the lung
What is rhinitis? - Answers inflammation of the nasal mucosa;
