Anatomy Patient Cases (pulm) Flashcards
Graham has idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a condition of collagen deposition on the lungs that is unexplained. Fibrosis, however, can also be caused by many substances: e.g. radiation tx over 40 Gy (radiation fibrosis) and different types of drugs, e.g. amiodarone, cisplatin, and methotrexate (drug-induced fibrosis). When initial tests
come back negative and with the honeycombing sign, you may choose to perform spirometry to examine Grahams FEV1 and FVC to determine if he has restrictive lung disease. There is no cure so tx is supportive. You encourage Graham to stop smoking and you refer him for pulmonary rehab. You can provide supplemental oxygen PRN and you recommend that he stays current on his vaccinations (e.g. pneumococcal and flu) to avoid complications. If he is a good candidate, you could also recommend Graham for lung transplantation.
- Karen is a 4 YO female who presents w/ runny nose, sneezing, and fever for the past 3 days. Her father says she hasn’t been eating as much as usual and seemed to be breathing hard, so he’s getting worried about her. Karen has a hx of well-controlled asthma. Vitals are RR 38, temp 98.8 F, BP 100/60, HR 100, O2 86%. On PE, you observe nasal discharge, a reddened pharynx, and expiratory wheezing. You order an x- ray and see no consolidation or costophrenic blunting, but do observe increased bronchial markings. What is your dx and tx for Karen? Do you admit?
- Jordan has asthma, a chronic, reversible, obstructive lung condition. His mother misinterpreted his dyspnea during practice for fatigue. His asthma seems to be largely triggered by exercise, but given his additional resting episodes with Snuggles, you want to give him more than a rescue/relief inhaler. Before rxing anything, you want to perform a spirometry test. You ask Jordan to run in place while you get the equipment so you can get a more accurate sense of his obstruction. If the spirometry confirms the dx, you rx a SABA (e.g. albuterol) for rescue/relief situation and an ICS (e.g. budesonide) for control management (you use current guidelines to assess his severity to determine exact dosages). You discuss w/ Jordan and his mother the importance of avoiding triggers, like Snuggles, as much as possible and you tell them to check back with you in 1-2 weeks to discuss how the new medications are working. You also give Jordan a tutorial on how to take the medications and you develop an asthma action plan to follow if he develops worsening or acute sxs.
- Clarence has acute epiglottitis, inflammation of the epiglottis caused by H. influenzae. You do NOT order imaging because this is a respiratory emergency, but if you did, you would see thumbprint sign on xray. You call an ambulance to transport Clarence to the hospital and tell his mother it is important to keep him calm - maintaining an open airway is critical. He will receive IV abx (e.g. ceftriaxone) and a tracheostomy set should be close by. You also consult ID about his unvaccinated household contacts.You also have a discussion with his mom about the importance of vaccinations.
- Graham has cystic fibrosis, a condition caused by an abnormal CFTR protein and
abnormal mucus production. To confirm the diagnosis you may order a quantitative sweat chloride test (> 60 mEq/L is positive) and CFTR molecular testing which identifies the CFTR mutations. Tx will depend on the mutations that Graham has, but he will need pancreatic enzymes when he eats, a high-fat diet, lung function monitoring, and prophylactic abx to prevent infection. Potential therapies include ivacaftor and or lumacaftor, depending on his mutations. Fortunately, new drugs are being researched and release more regularly that are starting to tx the underlying causes of CF.