Question

Considering the newly discovered Coronavirus COVID-19, please answer the following questions.

How the COVID-19 virus affects the respiratory system and give a brief description of the disease process. How might this affect a spirometry reading?

What are some of the preexisting conditions that make the virus more dangerous? Who is more susceptible to it and why?

Answer 1

When the virus enter your body, it comes into contact with the mucous membranes that line your nose, mouth, and eyes. The virus enters a healthy cell and uses the cell to make new virus parts. It multiplies, and the new viruses infect nearby cells.

Think of your respiratory tract as an upside-down tree. The trunk is your trachea, or windpipe. It splits into smaller and smaller branches in your lungs. At the end of each branch are tiny air sacs called alveoli. This is where oxygen goes into your blood and carbon dioxide comes out.

The new coronavirus can infect the upper or lower part of your respiratory tract. It travels down your airways. The lining can become irritated and inflamed. In some cases, the infection can reach all the way down into your alveoli.

COVID-19 is a new condition, and scientists are learning more every day about what it can do to your lungs. They believe that the effects on your body are similar to those of two other coronavirus diseases, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

• Spirometry shows decreased value of FEV1(Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second).It indicates an airway obstruction.
• COVID-19 can cause a range of breathing problems, from mild to critical. Older adults and people who have other health conditions like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes may have more serious symptoms