The Respiratory System, Third Edition

By Donna Bozzone and Susan Whittemore

Praise for the previous edition:

"...well-developed...clear and detailed...useful at the secondary level in health and anatomy classes and for research...Recommended."—Library Media Connection

Breathing is essential to human survival, as it gives us the necessary oxygen we need to live. Yet the act of respiration is an involuntary process, something many people do not think about on a day-to-day basis. The Respiratory System, Third Edition explains how we get air into our lungs, how our bodies use that air, and the fundamental physical and biological principles underlying respiratory function. In addition, this essential title examines several respiratory diseases and how they affect the body as a whole. Packed with full-color photographs and illustrations, this absorbing book provides students with sufficient background information through references, websites, and suggested reading for further study.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chelsea House
• Release date: Aug 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781646937240

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The Respiratory System, Third Edition

Copyright © 2021 by Infobase

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Contents

Cover

Copyright

Chapters

Breathing Thin Air

The Air We Breathe

Why Do We Breathe?

Anatomy of the Respiratory System

The Diffusion of Gas Molecules

How Do We Breathe?

Preventing Collapse of the Lungs

Adjusting to Changing Oxygen Demands

Diseases of the Respiratory System

Support Materials

Glossary

Bibliography

Further Resources

About the Authors

Index

Chapters

Breathing Thin Air

In May 1996, Jon Krakauer was one of eight members of a guided expedition up Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain. Although Krakauer eventually reached the summit, 12 other climbers who were on the mountain during the same time period died, including four from his own expedition. Krakauer recounted this harrowing tale in his book Into Thin Air.

HBRespFig1_1.jpg

Figure 1.1 Jon Krakauer speaks with reporters about his ordeal on Mount Everest, where he nearly died after running out of oxygen on his descent from the summit.

Krakauer nearly died on Mount Everest. As he was descending from the summit, he became concerned that his oxygen supply would run out before he could reach the uppermost camp where additional oxygen tanks were stored. He asked a fellow climber to turn off the oxygen valve on his back so he could conserve his remaining oxygen. Unfortunately, the climber inadvertently opened Krakauer's valve completely, and within minutes, his tank was completely out of oxygen. Krakauer described how he began to lose his eyesight and mental faculties immediately. He was fully aware that, in the absence of oxygen, his brain cells were dying at a rapid pace. He struggled to reach the encampment before he completely lost consciousness. It is evident from his ability to write this gripping tale that he suffered no permanent brain damage from his experience. Other climbers in Krakauer's situation were not as lucky.

What is thin air, and why is it so physiologically challenging for humans? In his book, Krakauer explains that all health risks associated with high-altitude environments are either due to or worsened by the low oxygen levels at those heights. Some climbers have returned from expeditions with permanent brain damage. Others have lost appendages and suffered extensive tissue damage due to hypothermia, a potentially lethal condition in which the body temperature is significantly lower than normal. Hypothermia occurs more rapidly in low-oxygen environments.

HBRespFig1_2.jpg

Figure 1.2 Climbing Mount Everest is very difficult due to the lack of oxygen as the climber gets higher. Expeditions to the summit must carry adequate supplies of oxygen to aid their members' survival.

High-altitude pulmonary edema, or HAPE, is another dangerous ailment experienced by some high-altitude climbers. With HAPE, dangerously high blood pressure develops in the small blood vessels of the lungs, forcing fluid to leak into the air spaces. A person experiencing HAPE begins to drown in the body fluids that have collected in their lungs. Without immediate treatment, death is a likely possibility.

Krakauer's account of the expedition highlights dramatically the importance of oxygen availability for human survival. Why do we need to breathe oxygen? How do we remove oxygen from the atmosphere and deliver it to all of our cells? 

The Air We Breathe

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What is Thin Air?

What is thin air, and why is it so physiologically challenging for humans? Thin air causes altitude sickness, a series of related symptoms that strikes those who are not acclimated to higher altitudes. Altitude sickness happens because at high altitudes, air pressure decrease and so does the amount of oxygen in that air. The reduced oxygen can affect even the most determined mountaineers, intent on scaling Mount Everest, as well as tourists visiting a high-altitude city for a short vacation.

High-altitude pulmonary edema, or HAPE, is another dangerous ailment experienced by some high-altitude climbers. With HAPE, dangerously high blood pressure develops in the small blood vessels of the lungs, forcing fluid to leak into the air spaces. A person experiencing HAPE begins to drown in the body fluids that have collected in their lungs. Without immediate treatment, death is a likely possibility.¹ Why do we need to breathe oxygen? How do we remove oxygen from the atmosphere and deliver it to all of our cells? 

Earth's Atmosphere

To understand respiration, it is necessary to consider