Human Anatomy and Physiology : Circulatory and Respiratory Systems

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Human Anatomy and Physiology

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Example Questions

Example Question #8 : Help With Heart Injuries And Disorders

During a myocardial infarction (heart attack) a person may express crushing chest pain or pain shooting down their arm. If a person does express pain going down their arm, what is this called?

Possible Answers:

Fracture

Phantom limb pain

Radiation

Impingement 

Dislocation

Correct answer:

Radiation

Explanation:

Radiation is the correct answer because it describes the process by which pain from one area is transmitted to another. In this case it is because the heart's afferent nerve entry into the spinal cord is shared with the dermatomal sensory nerves of T1-T5. In particular T5 is located on the medial aspect of the upper arm (stopping at the elbow). Dislocation is when a joint becomes dislodge from its proper placement. Impingement occurs when a nerve or vessel (artery/vein) becomes compressed, typically related to an injury and causes pain. Fracture is the breaking of a bone. Phantom limb pain is felt by amputees in an amputated limb.

Example Question #9 : Help With Heart Injuries And Disorders

A patent ductus arteriosus translates into which type of shunt within the cardiac blood circuit?

Possible Answers:

Right to left shunt

Top to bottom shunt

Left to right shunt

Bottom to top shunt

Does not result in a shunt

Correct answer:

Left to right shunt

Explanation:

A patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a type of abnormal connection between the aorta and pulmonary artery. The ductus arteriosus is a normal vessel that is open during the fetal stage, but should close during birth. If the vessel remains open despite the pressure changes at birth, a left to right shunt occurs. It is termed a left to right shunt because blood will flow from the "left side of the heart" to the "right side of the heart" through the PDA. Blood through the heart flows from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. Because the aorta (left side of the heart) has higher pressure than the connected pulmonary artery (right side of the heart), blood tends to flow from the aorta to the pulmonary artery via a left-to-right shunt through the PDA.

Example Question #21 : Circulatory And Respiratory Systems

Hyperkalemia will most commonly cause what type of change to an ECG recording of the heart?

Possible Answers:

Flattened T-waves

Peaked T-waves

Short P-R interval

Peaked P-waves

Prolonged P-R interval

Correct answer:

Peaked T-waves

Explanation:

The correct answer is peaked T-waves. The T-wave of an ECG reading corresponds to repolarization of the cardiac muscle after a ventricular contraction. Cardiomyocytes establish their repolarization through the influx of potassium during the T-wave. If potassium is elevated within the blood (i.e. hyperkalemia), this T-wave reading will be exaggerated due to the excessive influx of potassium into the cardiac cells.

Example Question #22 : Circulatory And Respiratory Systems

A 45 year old male with a history of hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes reports to the emergency room with three hours of chest pain. He is found to have a myocardial infarction as evidenced by EKG tracings. Which of the following laboratory tests is likely to be elevated in this patient?

Possible Answers:

Troponin

Blood urea nitrogen

Sodium

Calcium

Potassium

Correct answer:

Troponin

Explanation:

Elevations in troponins are diagnostic for a myocardial infarction (heart attack). Troponin is a protein released into circulation from cardiac myocytes when they die from lack of oxygen. The other laboratory values are not affected by myocardial death.

Example Question #1 : Help With Respiratory Injuries And Disorders

What is the name given for the buildup of water in the pleural cavity?

Possible Answers:

Chylothorax

Hemothorax

Pyothorax

Hydrothorax

Correct answer:

Hydrothorax

Explanation:

Fluid or other substances can accumulate in the pleural cavity in the case of volume overload or infections in the body. The buildup of water in the pleural cavity is called hydrothorax.

When there is an accumulation of lymph in the cavity, it is called chylothorax. A buildup of blood is called hemothorax, and when there is pus in the cavity due to an infection such as pneumonia, it is called pyothorax. This fluid can be removed and examined with a procedure called pleuracentesis (pleural tap).

Example Question #2 : Help With Respiratory Injuries And Disorders

An accumulation of air in the pleural cavity is called __________.

Possible Answers:

transudate

chylothorax

pneumothorax

hemothorax

Correct answer:

pneumothorax

Explanation:

A puncture of the thoracic wall or the lung can result in the elimination of the negative pressure to keep the lung expanded. The air that enters the cavity causes the lung to collapse on itself; this is called pneumothorax.

Similar to a pneumothorax is a tension pneumothorax, in which the air that enters cannot leave, therefore the pressure inside the pleural space builds up. This will displace the structures in the thoracic cavity and mediastinum to the opposite side from the entry wound. Symptoms of a pneumothorax are chest pain, and shortness of breath. To treat, a chest tube can be inserted on the side that is injured.

Example Question #3 : Help With Respiratory Injuries And Disorders

Which of the following does not refer to an infection of the lung tissues?

Possible Answers:

Pneumonia

Asthma

Pulmonary aspergillosis

Tuberculosis

Correct answer:

Asthma

Explanation:

Infections of the lungs are possible in any age group, but predispositions such as problems in the immune system can make it easier to get an infection. Tuberculosis is a contagious lung disease, and is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It involves formation of granulomas in the lungs. Pneumonia is an inflammatory process in the lungs caused by a bacteria, virus, or mycoplasma. It presents with fever, cough, chest pain, sputum, and shortness of breath. Pulmonary aspergillosis is a fungal infection by Aspergillus fumigatus in the lungs. It will most likely manifest in individuals with weak immune systems and is characterized by fever, cough, wheezing, and fatigue.

Asthma is not considered an infection, but rather an obstruction due to narrowing of the airways. Symptoms are shortness of breath, cough, and wheezing. This constriction is brought on by irritation of the airways due to factors in the environment.

Example Question #1 : Help With Respiratory Injuries And Disorders

Which disorder is characterized by a chronic accumulation of air in the alveoli?

Possible Answers:

Chronic bronchitis

Emphysema

Bronchiectasis

Asthma

Correct answer:

Emphysema

Explanation:

Many diseases can affect the lungs and the lung tissue. When air accumulates in the alveolar sacs chronically due to loss of elastic tissue in the alveolar walls, it is called emphysema. This results in reduced surface area for exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, leading to hypoxia and a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood.

Asthma is a result of a non-patent airway, presenting with shortness of breath and wheezing. Bronchiectasis is the dilation of the bronchi and bronchioles over a period of time, usually due to an underlying disease such as pneumonia or tuberculosis. Symptoms are chronic cough with copious amounts of sputum. Chronic bronchitis is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is caused by inflammation of the airways due to an irritant, such as tobacco. The individual will present with a chronic cough and shortness of breath and some sputum.

Example Question #5 : Help With Respiratory Injuries And Disorders

Which of the following is not a symptom of cystic fibrosis?

Possible Answers:

Salty sweat

Excess mucus production

Pancreatitis

Lung cancer

Correct answer:

Lung cancer

Explanation:

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that affects many organs in the body. It is usually detected in newborns by their mother, who will state that the baby has salty skin. Symptoms of cystic fibrosis are centered around the respiratory, endocrine, and gastrointestinal systems. Imbalance in the sodium chloride channels found on the cells of the body produces excessively thick mucus, which can cause complications in the ducts of the pulmonary, gastrointestinal, and pancreatic regions. Obstruction of the pancreatic ducts can result in inflammation of the pancreas, which is called pancreatitis. Children with cystic fibrosis tend to get many infections, such as pneumonia and bronchiectasis. Symptoms are managed with antibiotics and the mean survival age is around 40s to 50s years of age.

Lung cancer is not associated with cystic fibrosis.

Example Question #3 : Help With Respiratory Injuries And Disorders

Which of the following in not a symptom of thoracic outlet syndrome?

Possible Answers:

Weakness

Pain

Numbness

Dizziness

Correct answer:

Dizziness

Explanation:

The thoracic outlet is the area between the clavicle and the first rib. If there is compression of the vessels and nerves in this area, it is called thoracic outlet syndrome. The structures in this area are the subclavian artery and the nerves in the brachial plexus, which supply the upper limb. Symptoms include pain, numbness, weakness, and ischemia if the artery is affected. Common causes of compression in the area are the presence of a cervical rib or abnormal placement of the scalene muscles of the neck.

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