Respiratory passageway resistance

RESPIRATORY PASSAGEWAY RESISTANCE

  • Upper respiratory passageways - relatively large, very little resistance to airflow (unless obstruction such as from food lodging or cancer)
  • Lower respiratory passageways - from medium-sized bronchioles on down, can alter diameter based on autonomic stimulation
  • Parasympathetic - causes bronchioconstriction
  • Sympathetic - inhibits bronchioconstriction
  • Epinephrine - used to treat life-threatening bronchioconstriction such as during asthma and anaphylactic shock.
Last modified: Saturday, 4 June 2011, 8:54 AM