Points to Consider
- How do you think the health of your respiratory system might affect the health of other
body systems?
19.2 Lesson 19.2: Health of the Respiratory System
Lesson Objectives
- Identify the organs affected by a respiratory disease.
- Identify how a respiratory disease can affect the rest of the body.
- Describe how asthma affects breathing.
- Outline how smoking affects the respiratory system.
- Identify what you can do to keep your respiratory system healthy.
Check Your Understanding
- What is the role of the respiratory system?
- What are some of the organs of the respiratory system?
Introduction
Most of the time your respiratory system works well, and you don’t notice it doing its
job. But your respiratory system can sometimes be knocked out of homeostasis. Recall
that homeostasis is the balancing act your body performs that keeps conditions in your
body stable. Anything that disrupts the respiratory system from doing its job disrupts
homeostasis. When homeostasis no longer exists, there is disease. There are many causes
of respiratory diseases, and many ways to treat such diseases. In this lesson you will learn
about some of the most common respiratory diseases, and what you can do to help avoid
them. You will also learn how the use of tobacco disrupts homeostasis, which leads to some
of the most serious respiratory diseases.
Respiratory System Disease
In general, diseases that last a short time are calledacute diseases.Other diseases can last
for a long time, perhaps years. Diseases that last for a long time are calledchronic diseases.
Both acute and chronic diseases affect the respiratory system. Respiratory diseasesare
diseases of the lungs, bronchial tubes, trachea, nose, and throat (Figure 19.6). These
diseases can range from a mild cold to a severe case of bacterial pneumonia. Respiratory