2. Interactive Cases in General Internal Medicine 1 Flashcards
Complication of COPD
Pulmonary Hypertension (Hypoxia -> vasoconstriction)
Breathlessness DDx
By onset…
Acute: Pneumothorax PE Foreign Body Anxiety Anaphylaxis
Sub-acute: Airways (inflammation/obstruction) Chest infection (pus) Acute heart failure (fluid) Pulmonary Hemorrhage (blood)
Chronic: All of above (chronic/unresolving) Interstitial Lung Disease Malignancy Large Pleural Effusion Neuromuscular Anaemia/Thyrotoxicosis
60 yr old man SOB Sudden onset PMH COPD DH Symbicort and Tiotropium HR 110 Raised JVP Decreased breath sounds, scattered wheeze and creps (R) Peripheral oedema Sats 80% air FBC: HB 85 WCC 12 plt 300
Most likely diagnosis?
Treatment?
Pneumothorax
Chest Drain
CPAP
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
CPAP improves oxygenation
Used in Type 1 Resp Failure
Management of Pneumothorax
Primary:
- <2cm: Discharge, repeat CXR 1 wk
- > 2cm or SOB: Pleural aspiration, if unsuccessful: chest drain
Secondary:
- <2cm: Pleural aspiration
- > 2cm: Chest drain
ALSO don’t forget regular, adequate analgesia!
What to tell patient with Chest Drain in
Underwater seal must always be below the waistline
Pneumothorax
Improved after Chest Drain insertion.
Recurrent SOB after 2hrs
Potential cause of recurrent SOB?
Re-expansion pulmonary oedema (one lung!)
47 yr old woman Acute SOB Pleuritic Chest Pain PMH DVT O2 Sat 78% air PR 110 BP 120/80 Raised JVP Vesicular Breath Sounds
Cause and management
PE
LMWH
RBBB and Right axis deviation signs of…
Right sided heart strain
S1, Q3, T3
ECG PE finding
S wave in I
Q wave and T wave inversion in III
Suspected PE (120/80 BP) Management
- LMWH
- CTPA
- If PE confirmed, start Warfarin and continue LMWH
Indication for BiPAP
Respiratory Acidosis/High CO2
e.g. COPD
Suspected PE; why do we need to continue BOTH LMWH and Warfarin together for a few days?
Warfarin has a paradoxical PROCOAGULANT effect initially. LMWH covers them during this period - when INR comes back up, stop LMWH
–> (inhibition of Protein C and Protein S causes their levels to drop faster than procoagulation proteins such as Factor II/VII/IX/X)
Suspected PE (60/30 BP) Management
Thrombolysis
Primary Pneumothorax,Greater than 2cm
Management
Pleural Aspiration
If unsuccessful: Chest Drain
Primary Pneumothorax, SOB
Management
Pleural Aspiration
If unsuccessful: Chest Drain
Primary Pneumothorax, Less than 2cm
Management
Discharge, repeat CXR
Secondary Pneumothorax, Less than 2cm
Management
Pleural Aspiration
Secondary Pneumothorax, Greater than 2cm
Management
Chest Drain
FEV1/FVC ratio > 70%
Restrictive Lung disease
FEV1/FVC ratio < 70%
Obstructive Lung Disease
50 yr old female Progressive SOB Dry Cough Clubbing FEV1/FVC ratio > 70%
DDx?
Idiopathic fibrosing alveolitis
Connective tissue disease, RA
Drugs (e.g. methotrexate)
Asbestosis
Asbestosis
Pulmonary Fibrosis due to Asbestos exposure.
If you have some plaques, not enough for diagnosis of Asbestosis.
CXR Interpretation
This is a PA/AP CXR of…
- Name and DOB
- Taken on (Date)
- At (Time)
Quality of film: RIP
Rotation
Inspiration
Penetration (under/over)
Opacities on CXR
Interstitial/Alveolar shadowing ('Fluffy') - fluid or pus Reticulo-nodular shadowing (fibrosis) Homogeneous shadowing (e.g. pleural effusion) Masses/Cavitations
Lung lobe affected if Interstitial/Alveolar shadowing obscuring Right border of heart
Right middle lobe
If unable to follow left hemi-diaphragm behind heart?
Collapsed lung
Tracheal deviation Collapsed lung vs Pleural effusion
Collapse pulls trachea towards it, Effusion pushes away.
Summary of CXR analysis
Compare L vs R upper/mid/lower zones:
- alveolar/interstitial shadowing
- reticulonodular shadowing
- homogeneous shadowing
Follow the periphery:
- pneumothorax
- pleural thickness
- costophrenic angles
- diaphragm
- heart
- mediastinum
Type 1 Resp Failure
Low level of oxygen in the blood without an increased level of carbon dioxide in the blood.
Typically caused by Ventilation/Perfusion mismatch, e.g. high altitude/PE/pneumonia)
Type 2 Resp Failure
Low level of oxygen in the blood with increased level of carbon dioxide in the blood.
Caused by inadequate alveolar ventilation; both oxygen and carbon dioxide are affected.
E.g. COPD/asthma/reduced breathing effort/chronic bronchitis/neuromuscular problems
Abdominal General Inspection Findings
Feeding Tube/Stoma Bag/Drain Agitated/In Pain/Confused Obese/Low BMI/ Cachectic Scars: Midline (laparotomy) RIF (appendectomy) R Subcostal (Cholecystectomy) Jaundice (cirrhosis/hepatitis) Anaemia (obvious pallor suggests significant anaemia (e.g. GI Bleeding) Abdo. Distension (ascites/bowel distension/masses) Masses (malignancy/organomegaly) Dressings Needle track marks (HIV/Hepatitis) Excoriations - pruritus (cholestasis)
Abdominal Hand and Arms Inspection Findings
Asterixis (liver flap) Bruising Clubbing Dupuytren's contracture Erythema (palmar) Leuconychia (hypoalbuminaemia due to liver failure) ABCDEL
+ AV fistulae