Question

emma Norton, aged 26 is admitted to hospital with an acute exacerbation of her COPD

Using the knowledge of the respiratory system and the cardiovascular system, please answer the following questions below. Be sure to clearly label the different part

Part C

Emma’s COPD has caused pulmonary hypertension and subsequent failure of the right ventricle. What are the roles of the venous pressure and capillary hydrostatic pressure causing edema

Part D

Emma right ventricular failure has cause decrease in cardiac output. Explain which hormonal system will be activated and how it compensates for this

Answer 1

Ans c) When there is increase in capillary hydrostatic pressure and the increase in venous pressure which is often observed in case of heart failure. Due to the failure of the right ventricle, it causes the blood to back up with the systemic venous circulation. This leads to increase and elevation in the venous pressure and capillary hydrostatic pressure and it tends to increase the edema. The capillary hydrostatic pressure tends to increase when there is an increase in venous pressure that is majorly caused by the rise in the gravitational force caused by the venous obstruction. When the venous structure becomes obstructed within the chest, it tends to lead to the obstruction and hence it increases the capillary hydrostatic pressure along with the venous pressure.

Ans d) Due to the right ventricular failure, it leads to decrease in the cardiac output, and it leads to the activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Due to the activation of this enzyme system, it tends to increase the retention of the sodium and water. With the activation of this enzyme system, this tends to increase the overall circulation of the blood volume. As the overall blood volume circulation increase, it tends to increase the venous and capillary pressure leading to the increase in edema. As the cardiac output is decreased, it activates the renin-angiotensin system and the antidiuretic hormone. This collectively tends to help maintain the arterial pressure by arterial vasoconstriction and it increases the venous pressure and helps in increasing the blood volume that helps in increasing the ventricular filling.