| acute respiratory failure | Loss of pulmonary function either acute or chronic that results in hypoxaemia or hypercarbia. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| adult respiratory distress syndrome | <chest medicine, syndrome> A clinical syndrome that includes pulmonary insufficiency. It is a descriptive term that is applied to a variety of diffuse infiltrative processes in the lung. Manifestations include severe shortness of breath, rapid breathing and arterial hypoxaemia (low oxygen). Chest X-ray shows bilateral diffuse infiltrates. Treatment most often includes mechanical respiratory support. Causes include toxic gas (chlorine, NO2, smoke) exposure, severe metabolic derangement, gastric acid aspiration, pancreatitis, sepsis and trauma. Acronym: ARDS (12 Jul 2000) |
| alkalosis, respiratory | A state due to excess loss of carbon dioxide from the body. (12 Dec 1998) |
| anti-allergic and respiratory system agents | A collective term for drugs used to treat allergic reactions as well as those drugs that produce an effect on the respiratory system. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Bell's respiratory nerve | <anatomy, nerve> Arises from the fifth, sixth, and seventh cervical nerves (roots of brachial plexus), descends the neck behind the brachial plexus, and is distributed to the serratus anterior muscle; it is somewhat unusual in that it courses on the superficial aspect of the muscle is supplies; its paralysis results in "winged scapula". Synonym: nervus thoracicus longus, Bell's respiratory nerve, external respiratory nerve of Bell, posterior thoracic nerve. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rate, respiratory | The number of breaths per minute (or, more formally, the number of movements indicative of inspiration and expiration per unit time). In practice, the respiratory rate is usually determined by counting the number of times the chest rises (or falls) per minute. By whatever means, the aim is to determine if the respirations are normal, abnormally fast (tachypnea), abnormally slow (technically termed bradypnea), or nonexistent (apnea). (12 Dec 1998) |
| Gierke's respiratory bundle | A slender, compact fibre bundle extending longitudinally through the dorsolateral region of the medullary tegmentum, surrounded by the nucleus of the solitary tract, below the obex decussating over the central canal, and descending over some distance into the upper cervical segments of the spinal cord. It is composed of primary sensory fibres that enter with the vagus, glossopharyngeal, and facial nerves, and in part convey information from stretch receptors and chemoreceptors in the walls of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and intestinal tracts; in rostral parts of the tract impulses are generated by the receptor cells of the taste buds in the mucosa of the tongue. Its fibres are distributed to the nucleus of the solitary tract. Synonym: tractus solitarius, fasciculus rotundus, fasciculus solitarius, funiculus solitarius, Gierke's respiratory bundle, Krause's respiratory bundle, round fasciculus, solitary bundle, solitary fasciculus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| region of respiratory mucosa | The area commencing at the vestibule of the nose lined with respiratory mucosa; with the exception of the olfactory mucusa, it includes the entire nasal cavity. Synonym: regio respiratoria tunicae mucosae nasi, respiratory region of tunica mucosa of nose. (05 Mar 2000) |
| respiratory | <physiology> Pertaining to respiration. Origin: L. Spirare = to breathe (18 Nov 1997) |
| respiratory acidosis | <biochemistry> A metabolic derangement of acid-base balance where the blood pH is abnormally low. Causes include haemorrhagic shock, cardiogenic shock, severe dehydration, sepsis, toxic ingestion (for example isopropyl alcohol, methanol), alcoholic ketoacidosis, lactic acidosis, renal failure and diabetic ketoacidosis. Respiratory acidosis will occur if the lungs are not ventilating properly resulting in an excess of carbon dioxide in the body. (25 Jun 1999) |
| respiratory airway | That part of the airway where interchange of gases occurs; it includes respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, sacs, and alveoli. (05 Mar 2000) |
| respiratory alkalosis | The alkalosis resulting from abnormal loss of CO2 produced by hyperventilation, either active or passive, with concomitant reduction in arterial plasma bicarbonate concentration. See: compensated alkalosis. Synonym: acapnial alkalosis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| respiratory apparatus | The organs that are involved in breathing. These include the nose, throat, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs. (12 Dec 1998) |
| respiratory arrhythmia | Phasic sinus arrhythmia or any other rhythm fluctuation induced by respiratory fluctuation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| respiratory ataxia | Completely irregular breathing pattern, with continually variable rate and depth of breathing; results from lesions in the respiratory centres in the brainstem, extending from the dorsomedial medulla caudally to the obex. Synonym: ataxic breathing, Biot's breathing, respiratory ataxia. (05 Mar 2000) |