Anatomy & Physiology Fundamentals Flashcards
7 cards from real CHT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Anatomy & Physiology Fundamentals flashcards as text
Which principle describes how gas molecules dissolve in a liquid in proportion to their partial pressure, directly underlying the physics of HBOT tissue oxygenation?
Answer: Henry's Law
Henry's Law states that the amount of gas dissolved in a liquid is proportional to its partial pressure, explaining increased plasma oxygen dissolution at hyperbaric pressures.
The carotid bodies, which are chemoreceptors monitoring arterial oxygen levels, are located at the bifurcation of which artery?
Answer: Common carotid artery
Carotid bodies sit at the bifurcation of the common carotid artery into internal and external branches, sampling arterial blood for O₂, CO₂, and pH.
During compression in a hyperbaric chamber, middle ear barotrauma most commonly results from failure of which structure to equalize pressure?
Answer: Eustachian tube
The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx and must open to equalize pressure during compression; dysfunction leads to barotrauma.
Myelin sheaths, which increase conduction velocity of nerve impulses, are produced in the peripheral nervous system by which cell type?
Answer: Schwann cells
Schwann cells wrap around peripheral nerve axons to form the myelin sheath; oligodendrocytes perform the equivalent function in the CNS.
The alveolar-arterial (A-a) oxygen gradient is used clinically to assess gas exchange efficiency. Under hyperbaric conditions at 2.4 ATA breathing 100% O₂, the alveolar PO₂ would be approximately:
Answer: 1,680 mmHg
At 2.4 ATA, total pressure is ~1,824 mmHg; breathing 100% O₂ and subtracting water vapor (~47) and CO₂ (~40) gives an alveolar PO₂ of roughly 1,737 mmHg, approximated as ~1,680 mmHg in clinical tables.
Which layer of the skin provides the primary barrier preventing water loss and pathogen entry, and can be compromised in burn patients treated with HBOT?
Answer: Stratum corneum
The stratum corneum is the outermost, keratinized layer of the epidermis that acts as the primary physical and chemical barrier of the skin.
Carbon monoxide (CO) causes toxicity primarily by binding to hemoglobin with an affinity approximately how many times greater than oxygen?
Answer: 240 times
CO binds hemoglobin with ~240 times the affinity of O₂, forming carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) and preventing O₂ transport, which is why HBOT is the definitive treatment.