Breathlesness Flashcards
What are the 10 questions to be asked again in history from a breathless patient
Chest pain. Long-standing breathing problem. Asthma. Heart failure. Degree of dyspnoea. Length of the DIB. Pain associated with breathing. Does position exacerbate breathing. Does the patient have a cough if yes is it productive. Has the patient increased medication recently
Describe the physical assessment of a breathless patient 4.
Inspection. Palpation. Percussion. Auscultation.
What key signs and symptoms would a physical assessment show? 6
RR, effort and effectiveness of ventilations. Pattern of breathing and depth of RR. Audible sounds. Breath Sounds. Neck veins/ankle swelling. Signs of anaphylaxis.
List some major causes of breathlessness
Pulmonary. Acute exacerbation of asthma. Acute heart failure. Bronchiectasis. Acute exacerbation of COPD. Flail chest. Interstitial lung disease. Lung collapse. Massive Haemothorax. Pleural effusion. Pneumonia. Pneumothorax. PE. Upper airway obstruction.
Cardiac causes of breathlessness
Cardiac arrhythmia. Tamponade. IHD. MI. Valvular dysfunction. Pericarditis.
Other causes of breathlessness
Anaphylaxis. Chemicals. Poisons. DKA. Diaphragmatic splinting. Hyperventilating. Severe hypovaelemia. Metabolic causes. Obesity. Pain. Severe anaemia
List three signs and symptoms of anaemia
Fatigue. Dizziness. Pallor
Define epiglottitis
And acute information of the epiglottis potentially fatal
What is the cause of epiglottitis
Bacterial infection.
Rare due to HIB vaccine
What are the four symptoms of epiglottitis
Fever. Unwell/distressed. Stridor. Sitting up/drooling/chin out
Define hyperventilation syndrome
A rate of ventilation exceeding metabolic needs and higher than that required to maintain the normal level of co2.
What are the four symptoms of lung cancer
Persistent cough. Bloody sputum. Chest pain. Weight loss. Frequent and LRTI
What are the three causes of Pleurisy
Pneumonia. Pneumothorax. PE, TB CA
Define Pleurisy
Inflammation of the parietal pleura
What are the five symptoms of pleurisy
Pleuritic pain. Splinting and spasm. Fever. Cough. Tachypnoea
Define TB
Chronic bacterial infection normally of the lungs
LIST two courses of TB
Poor living conditions. Compromised immune system.
List for symptoms of TB
Chronic productive cough. Fever. Weight loss. Generally unwell
Define pneumonia
And acute infective inflammation of the lungs
What are the two courses of pneumonia
Bacterial infection. Community acquired, aspiration.
What are the four symptoms of pneumonia
Generally unwell and confusion. Fever. Tachypnoea over 25 bpm. Cough yellow green
Define pneumothorax
There in the plural cavity collapsing the lung
List two causes of pneumothorax
Spontaneous. Traumatic or medical
List for symptoms of pneumothorax
Pleuritic chest pain. Hyperresonant percussion. Assymetric chest wall. Tachypnoea
What seven reasons would make your breathless patient time critical
Extreme DIB. Major ABCD. Cyanosis. Hypoxia or not responding to o2. Life threatening asthma. Tension pneumothorax. Acute MI. Anaphylaxis
What would your general management of a breathless patient include 4
Ensure ABCs. O2. Position for comfort. Consider 12 lead
List the 6 elements of obtaining a patient history
Presenting complaint. History of presenting complaint. Questioning. Past medical history. Family history. Social history
