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EMT Fisdap Airway Exam Questions and Answers 2023 - 2024 (Verified by Expert) 1.From the atmosphere, what structures does air pass through during ven-
tilation?: Starts in atmosphere, then nose, nasopharyngeal
space/orophargyneal space (if mouth breather), then pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli
2.What is the purpose of the nasal passages and nasopharynx?: To
warm/hu- midify air as it passes through
3.What is the difference between respiration and ventilation?:
Respiration refers to the exchange of gases in the alveoli, ventilation refers to the movement of air into the lungs. Respiration is needed to provide O2 to cells and remove waste products. Also regulates pH of blood.
4.What are the structures of the upper airway?: nose, mouth, tongue,
jaw, pharynx and larynx 5.What structure is considered a landmark that divides the upper airway 1 / 4
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from lower?: The larynx, anything above is upper. The larynx and below
are lower.
6.What are the structures of the lower airways?: larynx (includes adam's
ap- ple/thyroid cartilage, cricothyroid membrane, cricoid cartilage), trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli
7.Describe the anatomy of the larynx.: From superior to inferior. Thyroid
cartilage, cricothyroid membrane, and cricoid membrane. The thyroid cartilage and cricoid cartilage are anterior to the larynx, and the cricothyroid membrane is posterior to both structures.
8.True or false: the lungs are completely equal in the midsaggital plane.: False, right lungs has 3 lobes, left lung only has 2 lobes. Together they have 5 total. Also, the right bronchi is inferior to the left bronchi.
9.What are the structures of the lungs in order of ventilation?: bronchioles,
and alveoli
10.True or false: the lungs use muscles found in the lateral lobes to expand
and contract?: False: the lungs are hollow organs and contain no muscles. When the diaphragm contracts it expands the thoracic cavity.The pleural space has a negative pressure and the lungs expand. This 2 / 4
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results in a slightly negative pressure (compared to the atmosphere) and air rushes in.
11.True or false: Air rushes into the lungs because of negative pressure.: True, when the lungs expand, they are creating a vacuum because they are expanding the volume of the container. This increase in volume causes influx of air into the container until the pressure is equalized with the atmosphere.
12.True or false: The parietal pleura lines the lungs and the visceral
pleura lines the lungs. The space between is called the anterior pleura.:
False: the visceral pleura lines the lungs, the parietal pleura lines the
body cavity and the 3 / 4
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pleural space is the space in between both where body fluid allows for both to smoothly glide.
13.What muscles are involved in inhalation?: The diaphragm, cervical
muscles (neck), intercostals, abdominal muscles, and pectoral muscles.
14.What muscles are involved in expiration?: none, expiration (if done
passively) is achieved by the relaxation of the diaphragm.
15.What is the primary driver of respiration? (Why would we increase/de-
crease RR?): The CSF in the brain has chemoreceptors sensitive to CO2.
When there is too much CO2. The pH changes. These sensors feed back to the medulla oblongata, which stimulates the phrenic nerve which innervates the diaphragm. They cause an increase in activity of the diaphragm. This increases the RR which causes us to increase tidal volume. This means more CO2 is exhaled. And brings our pH back to normal.We also have the less sensitive hypoxic drive
16.What is hypoxic drive?: Backup system to control respiration.
Chemoreceptors in brain, aorta, and carotid arteries. But they are "satisfied" by a small amount of O2, which means it is not as sensitive as pH control of CO2
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