| A | B |
|---|
| adenoids | Lymphoid tissue located in the nasopharynx; the pharyngeal tonsils. |
| alveolus | A tiny air sac in the lungs through which gases are exchanged between the atmosphere and the blood in respiration; (pl. alveoli). |
| bronchiole | One of the smaller subdivisions of the bronchial tubes (root, bronchiol). |
| bronchus | One of the larger air passageways in the lungs. The bronchi begin as two branches of the trachea and then subdivide within the lungs (pl. bronchi) (root, bronch). |
| carbon dioxide | (CO2)A gas produced by energy metabolism in cells and eliminated through the lungs. |
| compliance | A measure of how easily the lungs expand under pressure. Compliance is reduced in many types of respiratory disorders. |
| diaphragm | The dome-shaped muscle under the lungs that flattens during inspiration (root, phren/o) |
| epiglottis | A leaf-shaped cartilage that covers the larynx during swallowing to prevent food from entering the trachea. |
| expiration | The act of breathing out or expelling air from the lungs; exhalation. |
| larynx | The enlarged upper end of the trachea that contains the vocal cords (root, laryng/o). |
| inspiration | The act of drawing air into the lungs; inhalation. |
| glottis | The opening between the vocal cords. |
| lung | A cone-shaped spongy organ of respiration contained within the thorax (root, pneum, pulm) |
| mediastinum | The space and organs between the lungs. |
| nose | The organ of the face used for breathing and for housing receptors for the sense of smell. Includes an external portion and an internal nasal cavity (root, nas/o, rhin/o). |
| oxygen | (O2) The gas needed by cells to release energy from food in metabolism. |
| pharynx | The throat; a common passageway for food entering the esophagus and air entering the larynx (root, pharyng/o). |
| phrenic nerve | The nerve that activates the diaphragm (root, phrenic/o). |
| pleura | A double-layered membrane that covers the lungs (visceral pleura) and lines the thoracic cavity (parietal pleura) (root, pleur/o). |
| pleural space | The thin, fluid-filled space between the two layers of the pleura; pleural cavity. |
| sputum | The substance released by coughting or clearing the throat. It may contain a variety of material from the respiratory tract. |
| trachea | The air passageway that extends from the larynx to the bronchi (root, trache/o). |
| turbinate bones | The bony projections in the nasal cavity that contain receptors for the sense of smell. Also called conchae. |
| ventilation | The movement of air into and out of the lungs. |
| acidosis | Abnormal acidity of body fluids. Respiratory acidosis is caused by abnormally high levels of carbon dioxide in the body. |
| alkalosis | Abnormal alkalinity of body fluids. Respiratory alkalosis is caused by abnormally low levels of carbon dioxide in the body. |
| aspiration | The withdrawing of fluid from a cavity by suction; the accidental inhalation of food or other foreign material into the lungs. |
| asthma | A disease characterized by dyspnea and wheezing caused by spasm of the bronchial tubes or swelling of their mucous membranes. |
| atelectasis | Incomplete expansion of a lung or part of a lung; lung collapse. May be present at birth or be caused by obstruction or compression of lung tissue (prefix atel/o means "imperfect"). |
| bronchiectasis | Chronic dilatation of a bronchus or bronchi. |
| bronchitis | inflammation of the bronchi. |
| cyanosis | Bluish discoloration of the skin due to lack of oxygen in the blood (adj. cyanotic). |
| dyspnea | Difficult or labored breathing, sometimes with pain; "air hunger". |
| emphysema | A chronic pulmonary disease characterized by enlargement and destruction of the alveoli. |
| hemoptysis | The spitting of blood from the mouth or respiratory tract (ptysis means spitting) |
| hyperventilation | Increased rate and depth of breathing; increase in the amount of air entering the alveoli |
| hypoventilation | Decreased rate and depth of breathing; decrease in the amount of air entering the alveoli |
| influenza | An acute, contagious respiratory infection causing fever, chills, headache, and muscle pain. |
| pleurisy | Inflammation of the pleura; pleuritis. A symptom of pleuritis is sharp pain on inhalation. |
| pneumonoconiosis | Disease of the respiratory tract caused by inhalation of dust particles. Named more specifically by the type of dust inhaled, such as silicosis, anthracosis, asbestosis. |
| pneumonia | Inflammation of the lungs generally caused by infection. May involve the bronchioles and alveoli (bronchopneumonia) or one or more lobes of the lung (lobar pneumonia). |
| pneumonitis | Inflammation of the lungs; may follow infection or be caused by asthma, allergy, or inhalation of irritants. |
| pneumothorax | Accumulation of air or gas in the pleural space. May result from injury or disease or may be produced artificially to collapse a lung. |
| tuberculosis | An infectious disease caused by the tubercle bacillus, (Mycobacterium tuberculosis). Often involves the lungs but may involve other parts of the body as well. |
| expectoration | The act of coughing up material from the respiratory tract. Also the material thus released; sputum. |
| hilum | A depression in an organ where vessels and nerves enter. Also called hilus. |
| nares | The external openings of the nose; the nostrils (s. naris). |
| nasal septum | The partition that divides the nasal cavity into two parts (root spt/o means "septum"). |
| sinus | A cavity or channel. The paranasal sinuses are air-filled cavities in the bones of the face and skull that drain into the nasal cavity. They are named for the bones in which they are located, such as the sphenoid, ethmoid, and maxillary sinuses. |
| surfactant | A substance that decreases surface tension within the alveoli and eases expansion of the lungs. |
| anoxia | Lack or absence of oxygen in the tissues. Often used incorrectly to mean hypoxia. |
| apnea | Cessation of breathing. |
| asphyxia | Condition caused by inadequate intake of oxygen. suffocation (literally "lack of pulse"). |
| bronchospasm | Narrowing of the bronchi due to spasm of the smooth muscle in their walls. Common in cases of asthma and bronchitis. |
| Cheyne-Stokes respiration | A repeating cycle of gradually increased then decreased respiration followed by a period of apnea. Due to depression of the breathing centers of the nervous system. |
| cor pulmonale | Enlargement of the right ventricle of the heart due to disease of the lungs or their blood vessels. |
| coryza | Acute inflammation of the nasal passages with profuse nasal discharge. |
| croup | A childhood disease characterized by a barking cough, difficult breathing, and laryngeal spasm. |
| deviated septum | A shifted nasal septum; may require surgical correction. |
| empyema | Accumulation of pus in a body cavity, especially the pleural space, pyothorax. |
| epistaxis | Hemorrhage form the nose; nosebleed (-staxis means "dripping"). |
| fremitus | A vibration, especially as felt through the chest wall on palpation. |
| hemothorax | Presence of blood in the pleural space. |
| hypercapnemia | Excess carbon dioxide in the blood. |
| hyperpnea | An increase in the rate and depth of breathing that may occur normally, as after exercise. |
| hypoxia | Insufficient oxygen in the tissues. |
| Kussmaul breathing | Rapid and deep gasping respiration without pause; characteristic of severe acidosis. |
| pleural effusion | Accumulation of fluid in the pleural space. The fluid may contain blood (hemothorax) or pus (pyothorax). |
| pleural friction rub | A sound heard on auscultation produced by the rubbing together of the two layers of the pleura. A common sign of pleurisy. |
| rale | Abnormal chest sounds heard when air enters small airways or alveoli containing fluid. Usually heard during inspiration. |
| rhonchi | Abnormal chest sounds produced in airways with accumulated fluids. More noticeable during expiration. |
| stridor | A harsh, high-pitched sound caused by obstruction of an upper air passageway. |
| tachypnea | Abnormal increase in the rate of respiration. |
| tussis | A cough. An antitussive drug is one that relieves or prevents coughing. |
| wheeze | A whistling or sighing sound caused by narrowing of a respiratory passageway. |
