©THESTAR EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
NURS242 Exam 3 Questions Answers
Updated 2024/2025
What is ventilation? - answer✔the movement of air into and out of the lungs
What is perfusion? - answer✔the circulation of blood through the lungs
What are central chemoreceptors responsive to? - answer✔increased H+ in the brain ECF;
increased PaCO2;
"hypercarbic drive"
What are peripheral chemoreceptors responsive to? - answer✔decreased pH;
increased PaCO2;
decreased PaO2;
"hypoxic drive"
What are elastic forces? - answer✔lungs recoil due to elastin, collagen, fibrin
What are surface forces? - answer✔surface tension due to water-air interface
What is airway resistance? - answer✔opposition to flow caused by the forces of friction;
primarily determined by airway radius
What is the distensibility of the lungs? - answer✔ease with which the lungs can be inflated
What is lung distensibility increased in? - answer✔neonates and children;
emphysema
What is lung distensibility decreased in? - answer✔elderly;
pneumonia, pulmonary edema, ARDS, atelectasis, fibrosis
1|Page
, ©THESTAR EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
What is surfactant? - answer✔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? - answer✔produced by the Type II alveolar cells
What is Ohm's law? - answer✔velocity = driving force/resistance
What is Poiseuille law? - answer✔resistance = (8 x viscosity x length) / (pi x radius^4)
What happens if the radius in the lungs goes down? - answer✔the resistance goes up
How is the ventilation distributed in the lungs? - answer✔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? - answer✔lung capacitance;
low resistance system;
flow influenced by gravity;
resistance primarily determined by vessel radius
What does hypoxia lead to? - answer✔vasoconstriction of pulmonary vessels
What does prolonged hypoxia lead to? - answer✔pulmonary hypertension
What factors affect alveolar-capillary diffusion? - answer✔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? -
answer✔acidemia;
hyperthermia;
hypercarbia
What causes left shifts (increased affinity) in Hemoglobin-O2 affinity? - answer✔alkalemia;
hypothermia;
hypocarbia
2|Page
, ©THESTAR EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
What is hypoxemia? - answer✔deficient blood oxygen;
low PaO2;
low O2 saturation
What is hypoxia? - answer✔decreased tissue oxygen
What is hypoxic hypoxia? - answer✔decreased tissue oxygen caused by decreased
respirations
What is anemic hypoxia? - answer✔decreased tissue oxygen caused by decreased
hemoglobin
What is circulatory hypoxia? - answer✔decreased tissue oxygen caused by decreased
blood flow
What is histotoxic hypoxia? - answer✔decreased tissue oxygen caused by increased toxic
substance
What is ischemia? - answer✔greatly reduced or interrupted flow through the arterial
system, producing significant tissue hypoxia
What is hypercapnia? - answer✔increased level of CO2 in the blood
What are S&S of acute hypoxia? - answer✔dyspnea; restlessness; palpitations; agitation;
headache; tremors; diaphoresis; respiratory distress; cyanosis; tachypnea; tachycardia;
dysrhythmias; hypertension; lethargy; confusion to coma
What are some effects of hypercapnia? - answer✔respiratory acidosis (decreased pH from
increase in CO2); lethargy and confusion; increased HR and BP; flushed skin; arrhythmias;
seizures; coma; death
What is dyspnea? - answer✔subjective feeling of being SOB
What does dyspnea lead to? - answer✔decreased sense of wellness which may cause
psychological and social consequences
What is the leading cause of cancer death? - answer✔lung cancer
What is lung cancer most likely caused by? - answer✔cigarette smoking;
asbestos;
familial predisposition
3|Page
, ©THESTAR EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
What are the manifestations of lung cancer? - answer✔cough, hemoptysis (blood in cough
sputum);
hoarseness;
chest pain;
often disseminated (spread widely) at time of diagnosis
What are the types of bronchogenic carcinomas? - answer✔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? - answer✔foreign body aspiration;
laryngospasm (spontaneous spasm of the vocal cords);
trauma
What is complete acute airway obstruction? - answer✔inspiratory chest movements but
no air movement;
tachycardia, cyanosis, rapid progression to unconsciousness
What is partial acute airway obstruction? - answer✔stridor (harsh vibrating noise),
wheezing, dyspnea, tachypnea, tachycardia, retractions (chest moving inward)
What are some respiratory disorders in children? - answer✔upper airway infections: viral
croup, spasmodic croup, and epiglotitis;
lower airway infections: acute bronchiolitis
What is croup (laryngotracheobronchitis)? - answer✔inflammation of the larynx with a
sudden onset;
barking cough with stridor
What are the manifestations of viral croup? - answer✔febrile;
upper respiratory infection precedes
What are the manifestations of spasmodic croup? - answer✔afebrile;
may be allergic
4|Page
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
NURS242 Exam 3 Questions Answers
Updated 2024/2025
What is ventilation? - answer✔the movement of air into and out of the lungs
What is perfusion? - answer✔the circulation of blood through the lungs
What are central chemoreceptors responsive to? - answer✔increased H+ in the brain ECF;
increased PaCO2;
"hypercarbic drive"
What are peripheral chemoreceptors responsive to? - answer✔decreased pH;
increased PaCO2;
decreased PaO2;
"hypoxic drive"
What are elastic forces? - answer✔lungs recoil due to elastin, collagen, fibrin
What are surface forces? - answer✔surface tension due to water-air interface
What is airway resistance? - answer✔opposition to flow caused by the forces of friction;
primarily determined by airway radius
What is the distensibility of the lungs? - answer✔ease with which the lungs can be inflated
What is lung distensibility increased in? - answer✔neonates and children;
emphysema
What is lung distensibility decreased in? - answer✔elderly;
pneumonia, pulmonary edema, ARDS, atelectasis, fibrosis
1|Page
, ©THESTAR EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
What is surfactant? - answer✔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? - answer✔produced by the Type II alveolar cells
What is Ohm's law? - answer✔velocity = driving force/resistance
What is Poiseuille law? - answer✔resistance = (8 x viscosity x length) / (pi x radius^4)
What happens if the radius in the lungs goes down? - answer✔the resistance goes up
How is the ventilation distributed in the lungs? - answer✔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? - answer✔lung capacitance;
low resistance system;
flow influenced by gravity;
resistance primarily determined by vessel radius
What does hypoxia lead to? - answer✔vasoconstriction of pulmonary vessels
What does prolonged hypoxia lead to? - answer✔pulmonary hypertension
What factors affect alveolar-capillary diffusion? - answer✔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? -
answer✔acidemia;
hyperthermia;
hypercarbia
What causes left shifts (increased affinity) in Hemoglobin-O2 affinity? - answer✔alkalemia;
hypothermia;
hypocarbia
2|Page
, ©THESTAR EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
What is hypoxemia? - answer✔deficient blood oxygen;
low PaO2;
low O2 saturation
What is hypoxia? - answer✔decreased tissue oxygen
What is hypoxic hypoxia? - answer✔decreased tissue oxygen caused by decreased
respirations
What is anemic hypoxia? - answer✔decreased tissue oxygen caused by decreased
hemoglobin
What is circulatory hypoxia? - answer✔decreased tissue oxygen caused by decreased
blood flow
What is histotoxic hypoxia? - answer✔decreased tissue oxygen caused by increased toxic
substance
What is ischemia? - answer✔greatly reduced or interrupted flow through the arterial
system, producing significant tissue hypoxia
What is hypercapnia? - answer✔increased level of CO2 in the blood
What are S&S of acute hypoxia? - answer✔dyspnea; restlessness; palpitations; agitation;
headache; tremors; diaphoresis; respiratory distress; cyanosis; tachypnea; tachycardia;
dysrhythmias; hypertension; lethargy; confusion to coma
What are some effects of hypercapnia? - answer✔respiratory acidosis (decreased pH from
increase in CO2); lethargy and confusion; increased HR and BP; flushed skin; arrhythmias;
seizures; coma; death
What is dyspnea? - answer✔subjective feeling of being SOB
What does dyspnea lead to? - answer✔decreased sense of wellness which may cause
psychological and social consequences
What is the leading cause of cancer death? - answer✔lung cancer
What is lung cancer most likely caused by? - answer✔cigarette smoking;
asbestos;
familial predisposition
3|Page
, ©THESTAR EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
What are the manifestations of lung cancer? - answer✔cough, hemoptysis (blood in cough
sputum);
hoarseness;
chest pain;
often disseminated (spread widely) at time of diagnosis
What are the types of bronchogenic carcinomas? - answer✔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? - answer✔foreign body aspiration;
laryngospasm (spontaneous spasm of the vocal cords);
trauma
What is complete acute airway obstruction? - answer✔inspiratory chest movements but
no air movement;
tachycardia, cyanosis, rapid progression to unconsciousness
What is partial acute airway obstruction? - answer✔stridor (harsh vibrating noise),
wheezing, dyspnea, tachypnea, tachycardia, retractions (chest moving inward)
What are some respiratory disorders in children? - answer✔upper airway infections: viral
croup, spasmodic croup, and epiglotitis;
lower airway infections: acute bronchiolitis
What is croup (laryngotracheobronchitis)? - answer✔inflammation of the larynx with a
sudden onset;
barking cough with stridor
What are the manifestations of viral croup? - answer✔febrile;
upper respiratory infection precedes
What are the manifestations of spasmodic croup? - answer✔afebrile;
may be allergic
4|Page
