Block 31 Week 5 Flashcards
pneumothorax =
- air in the pleural space
spontanous pneumothorax?
- spontaneous pneumothorax: presence of air in pleural space in absence of trauma or intervention
managemtn options of a pneumothorax?
primary SP?
- no prev pulm disease
- some have emphysema on CT
Secondary spont pneumothorax?
- established chronic lung disease
- 50 yrs or older w smoking history
conservative management of
- if no symptoms, and good lungs - primary spont pneumothorax
- outpatient review every 2-3 days
- CXR to monitor resolution
surgical referral criteria for a pneumothorax
spontaneous secondary pneumothorax?
- conservative management but as inpatient
- CXR to monitor
needle aspiration ?
- mostly for PSP, outcomes for SSP not great
- recommended for people with minimal symptoms
Heimlich valve?
- one way valve
- plastic tube connected to chest wall, air comes through the tube
- plastic collapses when breathing in so air can’t come back in
Ambulatory management of a pneumothorax?
- PSP only
- can go home w this
- more freq follow up due to risk of valve problems
chest drain requires?
- daily inpatient review
- remove drain when resolved
chance of reoccurance of a pneumothorax?
- PSP - 30% chance
- recurrence after surgical intervention is v low
what means that thoracic surgery is required at initial presentation?
- tension pneumothorax
- high risk occupations
prevention/ pleurodesis of pneumothorax?
- during the first ep if patient sig decompensated i.e. COPD
- not for young people with normal lungs bc risk of fibrosis
surgical procedures for a pneumothorax?
- VATS for chemical pleurodesis
- resection of lung parenchyma to stop air leak
advice for a pneumothorax?
- smoking cessation
- can fly 7 days after full resolution
- diving discourgaged permanently
Pleural effusion?
- fluid between the pleura
- cancer, HF, infection
- TB
- PE
bilateral vs unlateral pleural effusion?
- bilateral - usually due to systemic diseases
- unilateral - usually a local cause
pleural effusion history?
- asbestos exposure/ occupational histiry
- medications - tyrosine kinase inhibitirs
Ix for a pleural effusion?
- XR, US, CT
- pleural effusion aspiration
- pleural biopsy
pleural effusion caused by TB?
- pleural fluid high in adenosine deaminase +/- inteferon gamma
- high prevalence area
Pleural biopsy?
- for thickened pleura
- mesothelioma
pleural infection - empyema?
purulent effusion - requires drainage
intrapleural TPA?
- for failed drainage
- use alteplase
- streptokinase should not be used
Mesothelioma?
-Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelial layer of the pleural cavity that is strongly associated with asbestos exposure
- can present as a painless pleural effusion
- latent period of 30-40 yrs
normal chest X ray?
looking at cxr?
- left hilum is higher than the right
- right D higher than left
pleural effusion CXR?
- fluid doesn’t build up like a line it builds up like a crescent
- could be from bleeding after a fall and the patient is on an AC
asthma involves (3)?
- Reversible airflow limitation
- Airway hyperresponsiveness
- Inflammation of the bronchi
early phase of asthma?
- inhalation of allergens leads to type 1 hypersensitivity reaction in the airways
- Sensitisation occurs during theallergen exposure causing the release of IgE antibodies from plasma cells.
- IgE bind to high affinity receptors on mast cells.
- Subsequent exposure to antigens cause mast cell degranulation and histamine release.
The mediators relased in the early phase of asthma cause…
- These mediators cause smooth muscle contraction and bronchoconstriction whilst inflammation contributes to airway obstruction.
late phase of asthma?
- recruitment of inflammatory cells e.g. T cells
- overtime the airways lay down fibrous tissue
- causing airway remodelling and leads to fixed airway obstruction - irreversible narrowing
Sx of asthma?
- Cough(may be worse at night)
- Dyspnoea
- Chest tightness
signs of asthma?
- Expiratory wheeze - polyphonic
- Prolonged expiratory phase
- Tachypnoea
- harrison’s sulcus
harrison’s sulcus?
a groove at the inferior border of the rib cage that may be seen in children with chronic severe asthma.
signs of resp failure that can occur in a severe asthma attack:
- Tachypnoea
- Tachycardia
- Inability to complete sentences
- Exhaustion
- Reduced respiratory effort
- Silent chest
- Altered conscious level
Asthma exacerbation - moderate?
PEFR > or equal to 50-70%
Severe asthma exacerbation PEFR?
33-50%
life threatening asthma exacerbation PEFR
<33%
near fatal asthma exacerbation?
raised PaCO2 or requires mechanical ventilation with raised inflation pressures
Asthma exacerbations summary table?
Spirometry results for an obstructive lung disease?
- FVC:may be normal but often reduced due to air trapping.
- FEV1:reduced.
- FEV1/FVC:< 70%.
PEFR values in asthma?
- Asthma demonstrates characteristic variability on PEFR diaries
asthma FeNO level?
- > 40 supports diagnosis of asthma
inhaler types - beta agonists?
- Short-acting beta-agonists(SABA): Salbutamol
- Long-acting beta-agonists(LABA): Salmeterol
Steroid inhaler for asthma?
Beclomethasone
LABA-ICS inhaler in asthma?
Seretide (salmeterol/fluticasone)
Stepwise management of asthma?
- 1) ICS - regular preventer
- 2) add LABA - salmeterol: can be MART (combined inhaler)
- 3) increase LAB or add leukotriene receptor antagonist
- 4) referral
Asthma chronic management summary?
ICS -> add LABA -> inc LABA or add montelukast
Acute asthma management ?
- oxygen
- steroids - prednisolone or IV hydrocortisone
- ipatropium bromide - for patients with severe or life-threatening asthma not responding to nebulised salbutamol.
second line therapies in the management of acute asthma?
- Mg sulfate IV
- beta 2 agonist infusion
- aminophylline
BTS asthma pathway
1) SABA
2) ICS
3) laba
chronic bronchitis =
- Chronic bronchitis: chronic productive cough for at least 3 months over two consecutive years.
Emphysema =
- emphysema: abnormal airspace enlargement distal to terminal bronchioles with evidence of alveoli destruction and no obvious fibrosis
aetiology of COPD?
- 90% of cases associated with smoking but only 10% of smokers develop it
- alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency - AR condition
Pack years =
(number of cigarettes smoked per day, divided by 20, multiplied by the number of years smoked)
chronic bronchitis vs asthma?
- characterised by chronic inflammation with neutrophilic infiltration, CD8+ T lymphocytes and macrophages.
- This differs from asthma, which has a predominant eosinophil infiltration with CD4+ T lymphocytes.
CB leads to (4)?
- Goblet cell hyperplasia
- Mucus hypersecretion
- Chronic inflammation and fibrosis
- Narrowing of small airways
bullae formation in COPD?
- permanent enlargement of airspaces distal to the terminal bronchiole
- Destruction of the lung parenchyma results in a reduced area for gas exchange and chronic hypoxia.
- loss of elastin within alveoli leads to collapse and dilatation and bullae formation - alveoli dilate and may eventually join with neighbouring alveoli forming bullae.
Cor pulmonale =
- right ventricular impairment secondary to COPD
what happens in cor pulmonale?
- Chronic hypoxia causes vasocontriction of pulmonary arteries, which leads to elevated pulmonary arterial pressure.
- The chronic elevation of pulmonary arterial pressure subsequently leads to right heart failure.
how does cor pulmonale present?
- raised jugular venous pressure,
- cyanosis,
- ankle oedema,
- parasternal heave
- hepatomegaly.
COPD symptoms?
- Chronic cough: usually productive
- Sputum production
- Breathlessness: usually on exertion in early stages
- Frequent episodes of ‘bronchitis’: usually in the winter
- Wheeze
Sigsn of COPD - respiratory?
- Dyspnoea
- Pursed lip breathing:(prevents alveolar collapse by increasing the positive end expiratory pressure)
- Wheeze
- Coarse crackles
signs of copd - cardiac?
- Loss of cardiac dullness:due to hyperexpansion of lungs from emphysema
GI sign of COPD?
- Downward displacement of liver:due to hyperexpansion of lungs from emphysema
Signs of COPD retention?
- Drowsy
- Asterixis
- Confusion
signs of CP?
- Peripheral oedema
- Left parasternal heave: caused by right ventricular hypertrophy
- Raised JVP
- Hepatomegaly
Severity of breathlessness =
- MRC dyspnoea scale
Symptoms of an acute exacerbation of copd
diagnosis of COPD?
- spirometry - FEV1/ FVC <70%
- post-bronchodilator ratio of <0.7 consistent with diagnosis of COPD
Distinguishing asthma vs COPD?
- As part of spirometry,reversibility testingmay be completed that assesses spirometry measurements following inhalation of a bronchodilator (e.g. beta-agonist).
- COPD is characterised by limited reversibility post-bronchodilator, which helps differentiate it from asthma.
- Reversibility is a hallmark of asthma.
Features supportive of COPD (versus asthma) include:
- Smoker or ex-smoker
- Symptoms in older adults(> 35 years old)
- Chronic productive cough
- Persistent/progressive breathlessness
- Night time waking with symptoms uncommon
- Variability uncommon(diurnal or day-to-day)
COPD staging
Ix of COPD?
- pulse oximetry
- ABG - if hypoxia or hypercapnia suspected
- ECG(if cor pulmonale suspected)
Bloods for COPD?
- Full blood count: important to assess for anaemia and polycythaemia
- Alpha-1 antitrypsin levels
CXR for COPD?
- Hyperexpanded
- Flattened hemidiaphragms
- Hypodense
- Saber-sheath trachea
CT scan for COPD?
- if alt diagnosis suspected - bronchiectasis, fibrosis
- lung cancer suspected
- echo if CP suspected
Management of COPD - lifestyle?
smoking cessation
- NRT
- smoking cessation services
vaccination
- seasonal influeza vaccine and pneumoccal vaccine
Pulm rehab in COPD?
- MDT programme
- long term lung conditions like COPD
- involvesexercise training, health education, and breathing techniques
- Nutritional education and behavioural techniques are also utilised.
Self management plans in COPD?
- helping patients manage their symptoms including how to manage exacerbations
- education + providing patients with a rescue pack pf ab and steroids
MRAs in COPD?
- prevent activation of muscarinic receptors by ACh
- prevents airway smooth muscle contraction and causes bronchodilation.
LABA?
salmetrol
SAMA =
ipatropium
LAMA =
tiotropium
ICS =
beclomethasone
trimbow inhaler =
formoterol/glycopyrronium/beclometasone
LABA-LAMA-ICS
stepwise management of COPD?
- 1: SABA or SAMA
- 2) LAMA + LABA if no evidence of steroid responsiveness
- or LABA + ICS of steroid responsiveness if asthmatic features
- 3) triple therapy (LABA + LAMA + ICS)
Oral therapies in COPD - theophylline?
- theophylline - some bronchodilator action through inhibition of phosphodiesterase.
Oral therapies in COPD - mucolytics?
- mucolytics - can be used in patients with a chronic productive cough to reduce frequency of cough and sputum production (e.g. carbocisteine).
oral therapies in COPD - ab?
- antibiotics - for acute exacerbations. May be used prophylactically e.g. azithromycin
surgical intervention for COPD?
- Lung reduction surgery
- Bullectomy
- Lung transplantation
Ix for COPD?
- CXR
- ABG
- ECG
- bloods - FBC, U&Es, CRP
- cultures - blood if pyrexial
- theophylline levels
Managing acute COPD exacerbations involves (4)
- oxygen
- bronchodilators
- steroids
- ab