What it means
The airways and lungs, with the muscles that move them. The upper airway is the nose, nasopharynxnay-zoh-FAIR-inksThe top part of the throat, behind the nose and above the soft palate.nas/o nosepharyng/o throatFull entry , oropharynxor-oh-FAIR-inksThe middle part of the throat, behind the mouth, from the soft palate down to the top of the voice box.or/o mouthpharyng/o throatFull entry and voice box. The lower airway is the tracheaTRAY-kee-uhThe windpipe: the tube that carries air from the throat to the lungs.Full entry , bronchi and the tiny air sacs (alveolusal-VEE-uh-lus (plural alveoli, al-VEE-uh-ly)One of the tiny air sacs at the ends of the smallest airways in the lungs.Full entry ), where gas exchangeGAS eks-CHAYNJThe movement of oxygen from the air sacs of the lungs into the blood and of carbon dioxide from the blood into the air sacs.Full entry takes place. The diaphragm is the main breathing muscle.
For the nurse
A respiratory assessment covers the rate, rhythm and effort of breathing, oxygen saturation, skin color, cough and sputum, and lung sounds over the front and back of the chest.
At a glance
| Spanish | sistema respiratorio |
|---|---|
| Also written | respiratory systems |
Related terms
alveolus
One of the tiny air sacs at the ends of the smallest airways in the lungs.
trachea
The windpipe: the tube that carries air from the throat to the lungs.
airway
The passages that carry air into and out of the lungs, from the nose and mouth to the smallest air tubes.
gas exchange
The movement of oxygen from the air sacs of the lungs into the blood and of carbon dioxide from the blood into the air sacs.
breathing
Moving air in and out of the lungs.