What is the interrelationship between respiration and gastrointestinal function?
Answer
Let's bring digestion into this discussion of interrelationships between systems. As we think about how the respiratory and gastrointestinal (GI) systems interact, we want to think about pressure relationships, energy relationships, innervation, and of course, we have to talk about aspiration. Let's start by talking about pressure relationships. The respiratory and GI systems are adjacent to each other, and they interact in several ways, not the least of which is they press on each other. When there is an expansion of the lungs, the expansion of the respiratory system puts pressure on the esophagus and stomach. Patients with COPD with mildly hyper-inflated lungs have increased reflux because those hyperinflated lungs are pressing on the stomach and the esophagus. Patients with increased stomach and esophageal distention related to GI problems are more likely to feel and report shortness of breath. The inflated GI system is pressing onto the respiratory system, and those pressure relationships are essential.
Angela Mansolillo, MA/CCC-SLP, BCS-S is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Board Certified Specialist in Swallowing Disorders with over 30 years of experience. She is currently a senior Speech-Language Pathologist at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, Massachusetts where she provides evaluation and treatment services for adults and children with dysphagia and is involved in program planning and development for inpatient and outpatient programming including quality improvement initiatives, patient education, and clinical policies and protocols. In addition, she is an adjunct faculty member at Elms College Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in Chicopee, Massachusetts. Over the course of her career, she has worked in a variety of clinical settings, provided numerous regional and national presentations, and lectured at several colleges and universities throughout Massachusetts. She is a recent recipient of the Massachusetts Speech and Hearing Association’s Award for Clinical Excellence.
Ms. Mansolillo received her Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from Rhode Island College in 1983 and earned her Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology in 1985 from the University of Connecticut. She is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and is a member of Special Interest Division 13, which focuses on swallowing and swallowing disorders.
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