NR 507 ADVANCED PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
MIDTERM COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026
◉ What are 5 s/s of asthma.
Answer: coughing
wheezing
shortness of breath
rapid breathing
chest tightness
◉ Pathophysiology of asthma (5).
Answer: -airway inflammation, bronchial hyper-reactivity and
smooth muscle spasm
-excess mucus production and accumulation
-hypertrophy of bronchial smooth muscle
-airflow obstruction
-decreased alveolar ventilation
◉ Bronchioles.
Answer: smaller passageways that originate from the bronchi that
become the alveoli
,◉ 3 layers of the bronchioles.
Answer: innermost layer
middle layer - lamina propria
outermost layer
◉ lamina propria.
Answer: the middle layer of the bronchioles
◉ structure of the lamina propria.
Answer: embedded with connective tissue cells and immune cells
◉ purpose of the lamina propria.
Answer: white blood cells are present to help protect the airways
◉ How does the lamina propria effect the lungs in regards to
asthma.
Answer: the WBCs protective feature goes into overdrive causing an
inflammatory response that damages host tissue
◉ What does the innermost layer of the bronchioles contain.
Answer: columnar epithelial ells and mucus producing goblet cells
,◉ What does the outermost layer of the bronchioles contain.
Answer: smooth muscle cells
◉ what does the outermost layer of the bronchioles do.
Answer: control the airways ability to constrict and dilate
◉ alveolar hyperinflation.
Answer: When air is unable to move out of the alveolar like it should
due to bronchial walls collapsing around possible mucus plug thus
trapping air inside
◉ how does hyperinflation occur?.
Answer: the ongoing inflammatory process of asthma produces
mucus and pus plug that the bronchial walls collapse around
◉ Effect of hyperinflation of the alveolar.
Answer: -expanded thorax and hypercapnia (retention of CO2)
- respiratory acidosis
◉ What are two anticholinergic drugs used for asthma.
Answer: tiotropium and ipratropium
, ◉ What do anticholinergics do in the lungs?.
Answer: These drugs block the effects of the parasympathetic
nervous system
- increasing bronchodilation
◉ MOA of anticholinergic drugs for asthma.
Answer: the parasympathetic system is stimulated by the vagal
nerve to release acetylcholine which binds to the cholinergic
receptors of the respiratory tract to cause bronchial constriction =
decreased airflow
- blocking the cholinergic receptors prevents acetylcholine binding
preventing the bronchial constriction
◉ bronchitis.
Answer: inflammation of the bronchial tubes
◉ 3 characteristics of bronchitis.
Answer: bronchial inflammation
hypersecretion of mucus
chronic productive cough for at least 3 consecutive months for at
least 2 successive years
MIDTERM COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026
◉ What are 5 s/s of asthma.
Answer: coughing
wheezing
shortness of breath
rapid breathing
chest tightness
◉ Pathophysiology of asthma (5).
Answer: -airway inflammation, bronchial hyper-reactivity and
smooth muscle spasm
-excess mucus production and accumulation
-hypertrophy of bronchial smooth muscle
-airflow obstruction
-decreased alveolar ventilation
◉ Bronchioles.
Answer: smaller passageways that originate from the bronchi that
become the alveoli
,◉ 3 layers of the bronchioles.
Answer: innermost layer
middle layer - lamina propria
outermost layer
◉ lamina propria.
Answer: the middle layer of the bronchioles
◉ structure of the lamina propria.
Answer: embedded with connective tissue cells and immune cells
◉ purpose of the lamina propria.
Answer: white blood cells are present to help protect the airways
◉ How does the lamina propria effect the lungs in regards to
asthma.
Answer: the WBCs protective feature goes into overdrive causing an
inflammatory response that damages host tissue
◉ What does the innermost layer of the bronchioles contain.
Answer: columnar epithelial ells and mucus producing goblet cells
,◉ What does the outermost layer of the bronchioles contain.
Answer: smooth muscle cells
◉ what does the outermost layer of the bronchioles do.
Answer: control the airways ability to constrict and dilate
◉ alveolar hyperinflation.
Answer: When air is unable to move out of the alveolar like it should
due to bronchial walls collapsing around possible mucus plug thus
trapping air inside
◉ how does hyperinflation occur?.
Answer: the ongoing inflammatory process of asthma produces
mucus and pus plug that the bronchial walls collapse around
◉ Effect of hyperinflation of the alveolar.
Answer: -expanded thorax and hypercapnia (retention of CO2)
- respiratory acidosis
◉ What are two anticholinergic drugs used for asthma.
Answer: tiotropium and ipratropium
, ◉ What do anticholinergics do in the lungs?.
Answer: These drugs block the effects of the parasympathetic
nervous system
- increasing bronchodilation
◉ MOA of anticholinergic drugs for asthma.
Answer: the parasympathetic system is stimulated by the vagal
nerve to release acetylcholine which binds to the cholinergic
receptors of the respiratory tract to cause bronchial constriction =
decreased airflow
- blocking the cholinergic receptors prevents acetylcholine binding
preventing the bronchial constriction
◉ bronchitis.
Answer: inflammation of the bronchial tubes
◉ 3 characteristics of bronchitis.
Answer: bronchial inflammation
hypersecretion of mucus
chronic productive cough for at least 3 consecutive months for at
least 2 successive years
