Question

Direct thermal injury to the lower airway is very rare and essentially occurs only after exposure to superheated steam or ignition of inhaled inflammable gases. Breathing concerns arise from what three general causes:

a) Airway obstruction, hypoxia, and hypercarbia
b) Pulmonary edema, respiratory alkalosis, and bronchospasm
c) Pleural effusion, atelectasis, and pneumonia
d) Carbon monoxide poisoning, cyanide toxicity, and acid-base imbalance

Answer 1

Breathing issues post thermal injury to the lower airway often result from airway obstruction, hypoxia, and hypercarbia. Complications such as emphysema and asthma are intimately connected with chronic conditions like COPD, due to factors like smoking. Exposure to harmful compounds can cause both immediate and long-term respiratory effects.

Step-by-step explanation:

Breathing concerns after direct thermal injury to the lower airway are generally attributed to three main causes: airway obstruction, hypoxia, and hypercarbia. Airway obstruction can result from swelling or the inhalation of foreign matter. Hypoxia occurs when there is a deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching the tissues, and hypercarbia, also known as hypercapnia, is the increase of carbon dioxide levels in the bloodstream, typically due to inadequate respiration.

Obstructive diseases such as emphysema and asthma, directly linked to smoking and environmental factors, further exacerbate breathing issues. For example, in emphysema, primarily caused by smoking tobacco, the elasticity of alveoli is reduced, leading to COPD. Compounds like carbon monoxide found in cigarette smoke contribute to both immediate and long-term respiratory effects, including the reduction of oxygen supply in the blood, while inhaled coal dust can lead to coal workers' pneumoconiosis or black lung disease, indicative of the complexities of respiratory health risks.