The Respiratory System as One of the Most Important Systems of the Human Body: the Treatment Options - Research Paper Example

 Introduction:  Background information:  The respiratory system is one of the most important systems of the human body. Its basic function is gaseous exchange that is providing oxygen to the body tissues and removing carbon dioxide from the body. Its importance can be looked upon from the fact that if oxygen supply to important and vital organs of the body is lost it can first lead to impairment of function which includes depression of the mental activity and the muscles cannot work up to their maximum potential and in extreme cases respiratory distress can be a cause of death. With a very much great rise in cigarette smoking the number of respiratory diseases has significantly increased as shown in graph 1 below. In a report published by the WHO in May 2008 it is clearly stated that Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) which is a pathological condition of the respiratory system will become the third most common cause of death by 2030(World Health Organization). Graph 1 (Annual deaths attributable to cigarette smoking) Aims: The respiratory system is essential to life and because of the increasing mortality due to diseases associated with it, it is essential that awareness should be created amongst the masses regarding the functioning of this system along with the pathologies associated with it and their causes. This report will also discuss the treatment options of the respiratory problems so that the reader might know that what the best available options of treatment are. Scope of the report: This report will discuss the working, importance and organs of the respiratory system and relate the respiratory system with other important systems of the body and how they are dependent on each other. It will discuss all the aspects of the important pathologies of the respiratory system. As the pathologies of the respiratory system are not limited, this report will restrict itself to the most common ones with their proper management and treatment and the report cannot be thus relied upon for all the ailments of the respiratory system. This report will be precise, accurate and it will deliver to the reader the most important and basic knowledge which one should know regarding the respiratory system. Body of the report The respiratory system is involved in the exchange of gases which include the inspiration of oxygen from the surroundings and the expiration of carbon dioxide from the body. The first step which involves only simple expulsion and intake of oxygen is referred to as mechanical ventilation and this is not the only function of the respiratory system. When the oxygen enters the body there is an exchange of this oxygen and a mechanism via which it reaches into the blood and the carbon dioxide which is the by-product is carried from the blood to the organs of the respiratory system and expelled out into the atmosphere. This process is referred to as the pulmonary respiration. The main organs involved in the process of respiration as shown in diagram no 1 below include mouth, nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea which divides to form two principle bronchi one for each lung that is the right lung and the left lung which then divide to form numerous bronchioles which end into sacs known as alveoli. Diagram No.1 (Respiratory System) The respiratory tract is then again divided in to an upper respiratory tract which consists mainly of mouth, nose, nasal cavity and trachea. The upper respiratory tract just provides passages for air to enter the body from the atmosphere and there is actually no exchange of gases with the blood. It is basically the lower respiratory tract which includes the bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli and the lungs where the exchange of gases takes place between the blood and the respiratory tract. The lungs are surrounded by pleural membranes and there is presence of blood vessels on the outer side of the membranes which are connected to the outer membranes of the alveolus. It is here that the exchange of gases takes place (University of Wisconsin 1988).The structure of the alveolus and the site of exchange is shown in Diagram 2. Diagram 2 which is explaining the structure of the alveolus and the coordination of the respiratory system with the heart (Alveoli) Respiration is an essential process which is tightly regulated. The respiratory system coordinates with the heart. The heart pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs where it gets oxygenated and the carbon dioxide is removed from it. This blood then moves back into the heart from where it is pumped to the rest of the body. There are many diseases of the respiratory system but this report will focus on the most common one from which 73000 patients in the British Columbia are suffering (World Health Organization). This disease is known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Two different conditions emphysema and chronic bronchitis are joined together and given the name of COPD. The major leading cause of COPD is cigarette smoking although this disease has also been reported in non smokers. With the increasing amount of environmental and other toxic exposures the incidence of COPD has increased significantly as well (British Columbia of Health, 2004). The basic site where COPD has its effect mostly is the bronchus in the case of chronic bronchitis and acinus which are the tiny airways located in the lungs in the case of emphysema. The main signs and symptoms of COPD include cough which is productive that is with sputum as well as breathlessness and wheezing. Chronic bronchitis presents with the over secretion by the mucous glands which can be the reason for the productive cough. Emphysema occurs due to the decreased capacity of the alveoli to hold air in them which makes the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide from the blood very difficult. COPD has been classified into four degrees according to symptoms the table below presents this. Table (Donnell et al 2003) The main tests which should be performed for the diagnosis of COPD include spirometry, bronchoscopy, X- rays of the chest and exercise tolerance test. In the process of spirometry a patient is asked to inhale and then exhale out to the maximum. The volume of this forced expiration indicates the working capacity of the lungs and is known as the Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV). It is useful to reach up to a diagnosis that how much harm has been done to the lung and in what stage is the COPD as indicated by the table above. Exercise tolerance is to show the working capacity of the lungs and the heart that how efficiently can they remove carbon dioxide from the blood and provide oxygen to it. X-rays of the chest show the extent of damage that has been done to the lungs by COPD and bronchoscopy is a procedure to look up into the airways to the lungs and cells of the airways are extracted so that they can be examined and best possible treatment can be given to the patient. Much research has been done on this disease and it has been found out that COPD not only requires treatment pharmacologically but other methods should also be employed. The first and foremost treatment that is advised to the patient is to quit smoking and to avoid exposure to dust and other environmental pollutants as early as possible to prevent further damage. Medications for COPD include inhaled bronchodilators which include anticholinergic drugs and beta two adrenergic agonists. A combination therapy can be advised for patients as well. Steroids should only be used if this line of drug therapy fails and there is severe obstruction of airways. Antibiotics are prescribed to those patients who have infection of the respiratory tract along with the COPD. Exercise therapy is also advised .Influenzal vaccination is advised every year with pneumococcal vaccination to be done annually and at least once every five years. For very severe cases of COPD where no other option is left surgery is the only option and lung transplant through surgery is the only last hope (McAlister et al 2003). Homeostasis is the maintenance of a constant internal environment of the body. Certain disease processes disrupt this internal environment and hence the process of homeostasis. One such disorder is asthma which leads to the inflammation of the airways, contractions of the muscles of the bronchioles and increased mucous secretions which all lead to the constriction of the bronchioles and thus leads to restrictions on the passage of air. The changes of the respiratory passageways are shown in the diagram below. Diagram 3 (Asthma) The responsiveness of the airway that is bronchospasm increases to many stimuli in this condition. Asthma is a condition which disrupts the homeostasis as they lead to oxygen insufficiency in cells and thus the cells cannot work efficiently and it can eventually lead to cell death if the disease is not treated. The main signs and symptoms of asthma include cough, shortness of breath, wheezing and tightness of the chest. These symptoms tend to worsen in the night and in early morning and they become more pronounced in cold, due to dust or when a person becomes exposed to allergens. Asthma does not have a very definitive cause and certain causes put forward to explain the occurrence of asthma according to current research include the genetic factor that is a patient is at a greater risk of developing allergies due to heredity. If parents of the patient are asthmatic there are high changes that the child might also suffer from asthma and if a patient is exposed to respiratory infections during childhood when the immune system is developing he is put at a risk of developing asthma. Asthma can be diagnosed by first checking the signs and symptoms, then carrying out spirometry, exhaled nitric oxide test and challenged test. The spirometry test shows two measurements which are the forced expiratory volume which is the maximum amount of air that can be exhaled out and the forced vital capacity which is the maximum amount of air that can be inspired and expired. Exhaled nitric oxide test is carried out by checking the amount of nitric oxide in breath. If the amount of nitric oxide is greater than normal it indicates that inflammation is present in the passageways and hence asthma is confirmed. A last confirmatory test to check for asthma is by alleviating the symptoms by asthma by either exercise or by giving any bronchoconstrictor and then carrying out the spirometry test. If the results of the test are normal asthma is negative whereas decrease in the readings confirms the presence of asthma. The drugs of choice for the treatment of asthma are beta 2 adrenergic agonists which function as bronchodilators and these are given mostly to patients with moderate asthma. in the cases of moderate to severe asthma corticosteroids should be inhaled to relieve the inflammation and they should be given beta two adrenergic agonists as well. Patients should take care to avoid exposure to dust and other allergens (Association for the care of Asthma 1981). Conclusion: This report has clearly put forward the most important diseases related to the respiratory system and the best available treatment. It is advised to all that the maximal functioning of the respiratory system is very important for leading a very healthy and proper life. Smoking is hazardous to health and it can not only harm you but others as well who inhale its smoke. Severe cough and breathlessness should not be looked down upon because they can progress to chronic diseases which decrease the efficiency of the respiratory system so patients are advised to go through proper check ups right on time. Distress of the respiratory system can be lethal and much research has been done in this regard to identify the causes as well as the treatment for these diseases. This research should be availed and awareness be spread as much as possible. 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