INTRODUCTION

The human respiratory system is a series of organs responsible for taking in oxygen and expelling carbon
dioxide. The primary organs of the respiratory system are lungs, which carry out this exchange of gases as
we breathe.
Red blood cells collect the oxygen from the lungs and carry it to the parts of the body where it is needed,
according to the American Lung Association. During the process, the red blood cells collect the carbon
dioxide and transport it back to the lungs, where it leaves the body when we exhale.
The human body needs oxygen to sustain itself. A decrease in oxygen is known as hypoxia and a
complete lack of oxygen is known as anoxia, according to the National Institutes of Health. These
conditions can be fatal; after about four minutes without oxygen, brain cells begin dying, according to
NYU Langone Medical Center, which can lead to brain damage and ultimately death.
In humans, the average rate of breathing depends on age. A newborn's normal breathing rate is about 40
times each minute and may slow to 20 to 40 times per minute when the baby is sleeping, according to
the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
For adults, the average resting respiratory rate for adults is 12 to 16 breaths per minute, according
to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Physical exertion also has an effect on respiratory rate, and healthy adults can
average 45 breaths per minute during strenuous exercise.

 Common structural changes observed in the normal aging process

AGING CHANGES IN YOUR BODY AND THEIR AFFECTS ON THE LUNGS

Changes in the heart and blood vessels

▪ Receptors called baroreceptors monitor the blood pressure and make changes to help maintain a
fairly constant blood pressure when a person changes positions or is doing other activities. The
baroreceptors become less sensitive with aging. This may explain why many older people have
orthostatic hypotension, a condition in which the blood pressure falls when a person goes from
lying or sitting to standing. This causes dizziness because there is less blood flow to the brain.
▪ The capillary walls thicken slightly. This may cause a slightly slower rate of exchange of
nutrients and wastes.
▪ The main artery from the heart (aorta) becomes thicker, stiffer, and less flexible. This is probably
related to changes in the connective tissue of the blood vessel wall. This makes the blood pressure
higher and makes the heart work harder, which may lead to thickening of the heart muscle
(hypertrophy). The other arteries also thicken and stiffen. In general, most older people have a
moderate increase in blood pressure.
Changes to lung tissue:
▪ Muscles and other tissues that are near your airways may lose their ability to keep the airways
completely open. This causes the airways to close easily.
▪ Aging also causes the air sacs to lose their shape and become baggy.
These changes in lung tissue can allow air to get trapped in your lungs. Too little oxygen may enter your
blood vessels and less carbon dioxide may be removed. This makes it hard to breathe.
Changes to the immune system:
▪ Your immune system can get weaker. This means your body is less able to fight lung infections
and other diseases.
▪ Your lungs are also less able to recover after exposure to smoke or other harmful particles.
Changes in the bones - muscles - joints
▪ Changes in posture and gait (walking pattern) are common with aging. Changes in the skin and
hair are also common.
▪ The skeleton provides support and structure to the body. Joints are the areas where bones come
together. They allow the skeleton to be flexible for movement. In a joint, bones do not directly
contact each other. Instead, they are cushioned by cartilage in the joint, synovial membranes
around the joint, and fluid.
▪ Muscles provide the force and strength to move the body. Coordination is directed by the brain,
but is affected by changes in the muscles and joints. Changes in the muscles, joints, and bones
affect the posture and walk, and lead to weakness and slowed movement.
Changes to the bones and muscles of the chest and spine:
▪ Bones become thinner and change shape. This can change the shape of your ribcage. As a result,
your ribcage cannot expand and contract as well during breathing.
▪ The muscle that supports your breathing, the diaphragm, becomes weakened. This weakness may
prevent you from breathing enough air in or out.
These changes in your bones and muscles may lower the oxygen level in your body. Also, less carbon
dioxide may be removed from your body. Symptoms such as tiredness and shortness of breath can result.

 COMMON PROBLEMS
As a result of these changes, older people are at increased risk for:
▪ Lung infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis
▪ Shortness of breath
▪ Low oxygen level
▪ Abnormal breathing patterns, resulting in problems such as sleep apnea (episodes of stopped
breathing during sleep)
▪ Angina (chest pain caused by temporarily reduced blood flow to the heart muscle), shortness of
breath with exertion, and heart attack can result from coronary artery disease.
▪ Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) of various types can occur.
 ▪ Anemia may occur, possibly related to malnutrition, chronic infections, blood loss from the
gastrointestinal tract, or as a complication of other diseases or medicines.
▪ Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) is very common. Fatty plaque deposits inside the
blood vessels cause them to narrow and totally block blood vessels.
▪ Congestive heart failure is also very common in older people. In people older than 75, congestive
heart failure occurs 10 times more often than in younger adults.
▪ Coronary artery disease is fairly common. It is often a result of arteriosclerosis.
▪ High blood pressure and orthostatic hypotension are more common with older age. Older people
on blood pressure medicines need to work with their doctor to find the best way to manage their
high blood pressure. This is because too much medicine may cause low blood pressure and could
lead to a fall.

 Differentiate normal changes of aging and disease process

Normal aging must not be equated with "no treatment required." Conversely, all disease processes in the
elderly must not mean "treatment required." The decision to treat elderly patients should be made on an
individual basis and must be considered in relation to age, quality of life, benefit-risk ratio, presence or
absence of symptoms, and the multiplicity of diseases in each patient.

 NURSING INTERVENTIONS
 Provide oxygen as needed; maintain hydration and mobility.
 Educate on lifestyle modifications and over-the-counter (OTC) medications for GERD.
 Encourage participation in community-based nutrition programs; educate on healthful
diets
 Prevent osteoporosis by adequate daily intake of calcium and vitamin D, physical
exercise, smoking cessation. Advise routine bone-mineral density screening.
 Presented to the Clinical Instructor of
Notre Dame of Tacurong College
College of Nursing
________________________________________________________________________________

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Submitted to:
Ms. JONA PHIE D. MONTERO RN, MAN
Clinical Instructress

In Partial Fulfilment of the Course Requirements

In Nursing Care Management – 106
RLE Exposure
______________________________________________________________________

Submitted by:
RANAH E. PAUDAC

Date
August 16, 2019