Unit 3 Recap: Respiratory and Digestive Systems: Structure, Function, and Medical Interventions

Instructions

These three lessons review important information about your respiratory and digestive systems. Explore how these systems work, how healthcare providers diagnose and treat related problems, and the medical terms used in healthcare. Look for connections between how each system is built and what it does. Think about how medical treatments can help fix specific problems. Use these lessons to review how air moves through your respiratory system and how food travels through your digestive system. See how diagnostic tools help find problems, and how treatments help solve them.

Respiratory System

Respiratory Diagnostic Procedures

Chest X-ray (CXR): This imaging technique uses a small, safe amount of radiation to create pictures of your lungs. Doctors use these images to identify potential issues like pneumonia (a lung infection), lung cancer, or a collapsed lung (pneumothorax). It's a quick and painless procedure.

X-ray image of a human chest showing ribs, spine, and internal organs. — wonderisland / Shutterstock

Pulmonary Function Test (PFT): This test measures how much air your lungs can hold and how quickly you can inhale and exhale. It helps healthcare providers assess your lung function and diagnose conditions like asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which makes breathing difficult). During a PFT, you breathe into a device called a spirometer.

Diagnostic vs. Therapeutic Interventions

Diagnostic Interventions: These are tests and procedures that help healthcare providers figure out what's causing a medical problem. Think of them as detective work to find the root of the issue. Examples include chest X-rays (CXR), PFTs, and blood tests.
Therapeutic Interventions: These are treatments that aim to improve a patient's condition and alleviate symptoms. They're like the solutions implemented after the detective work is done. Examples include medications like bronchodilators and oxygen (O2) therapy.

Common Therapeutic Interventions

Oxygen (O2) Therapy: When a person's blood oxygen levels are low, supplemental oxygen can be provided through a mask or small tubes in the nose (nasal cannula). This therapy helps individuals with conditions like COPD, pneumonia, and sleep apnea receive adequate oxygen.
Bronchodilators: These medications relax the muscles surrounding the airways in the lungs, allowing them to open up and improve airflow. They're commonly used to treat asthma and COPD. Bronchodilators can be administered through inhalers or nebulizers (devices that turn liquid medication into a mist that can be inhaled).

Respiratory Drug Classes

Bronchodilators: These medications relax the muscles around the airways, making it easier to breathe. Albuterol is a common bronchodilator used in inhalers for asthma.
Corticosteroids: These medications reduce inflammation and swelling in the airways, helping to manage conditions like asthma and COPD. Prednisone is an example of a corticosteroid.
Antibiotics: These medications fight bacterial infections in the respiratory system, such as pneumonia. Amoxicillin is a frequently prescribed antibiotic.

Common Respiratory Abbreviations

COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – a progressive lung disease that makes breathing difficult.

Diagram showing COPD with chronic bronchitis and emphysema effects on lungs. — alila / 123RF

SOB: Shortness of Breath – the feeling of not being able to get enough air.
PFT: Pulmonary Function Test – a test to assess how well your lungs are functioning.

Digestive System

Digestive Tract Overview

Structure: The digestive system is essentially a long tube that extends from your mouth to your anus. It includes the esophagus (the food pipe), stomach, small intestine, and large intestine.
Major Functions: The digestive system has four main jobs: ingestion (taking in food), digestion (breaking down food), absorption (taking in nutrients from food), and elimination (getting rid of waste).

Digestive Organs in Order: The Path of Food

Mouth: Digestion begins here. Chewing breaks down food mechanically, and saliva starts the chemical breakdown of carbohydrates.
Esophagus: This muscular tube transports food from the mouth to the stomach using wave-like muscle contractions called peristalsis.
Stomach: The stomach mixes food with digestive juices, breaking it down further, especially proteins. It also acts as a temporary storage area for food.
Small Intestine: Most nutrient absorption occurs in this long, coiled tube. Small finger-like projections called villi increase the surface area for absorption.
Large Intestine: Water is absorbed here, and the remaining waste material is formed into feces.

Digestive System Anatomy: Accessory Organs

Liver: This large organ produces bile, which helps break down fats for absorption.
Pancreas: The pancreas produces enzymes that are essential for digesting carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. It also produces hormones that regulate blood sugar.
Gallbladder: This small organ stores bile produced by the liver and releases it into the small intestine when needed.

Regions of Digestion and Absorption

Stomach: Initial protein digestion occurs here through the action of pepsin, an enzyme that breaks down proteins.
Small Intestine: The majority of digestion and absorption take place here. Enzymes break down food molecules, and nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream.
Large Intestine: Primarily responsible for absorbing water and electrolytes, preparing waste for elimination.

Diagram of the human digestive system with labeled organs. — HL Studios / Pearson Education Ltd

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