Homeostatic Imbalances

• Croup: inflammation of the vocal folds, seen mostly in infants, characterized by a ‘barking’ cough. Cause: 75% of cases are from parainfluenza virus but other viruses can lead to it.
• Laryngitis: inflammation of the mucous membranes that prevents proper movement of the vocal cords.
• Pleurisy: inflammation of the pleura
• Cystic Fibrosis: a life-threatening genetic disorder in which the body creates an abnormally thick and sticky mucus which builds up in the bronchi and pancreas; can cause lung infections and serious digestive problems
• Hyperventilation: extremely fast breathing; caused by too little carbon dioxide; can cause respiratory alkalosis(rise in blood pH), brief periods of apnea, cyanosis, dizziness, fainting
• Hypoventilation: extremely slow breathing; caused by too much carbon dioxide; can cause respiratory acidosis(fall in blood pH), bluish skin coloration, drowsiness, fatigue, lethargy, morning headaches, swelling of ankles, waking from sleep unrested, waking up many times at night
• Asthma: tightening and swelling of the airways; can be triggered by many things
• Hypoxia: oxygen deprivation at the tissue level
• Apnea: not breathing(cessation of breathing)
• Tachypnea: fast breathing
• Eupnea: normal breathing
• Dsypnea: difficult or painful breathing
• Emphysema: destruction of fibers in air passages that help keep passages open or of the alveoli caused by smoking; it can cause enlarged alveoli and decreased lung elasticity which reduces the oxygen supply to body tissues