Chapter 15 - Respiratory Emergencies Flashcards
Acidosis
The build up of excess acid in the blood or body tissues that results from a primary illness.
Adventitious breath sounds
Abnormal breath sounds such as wheezing, stridor, rhonchi, and crackles.
Alkalosis
The build up of excess base (lack of acids) in the body fluids.
Allergen
A substance that causes an allergic reaction.
Anaphylaxis (anaphylactic shock)
An extreme, life-threatening, systematic allergic reaction that may include shock and respiratory failure.
Asthma
An acute spasm of the smaller air passages, called bronchioles, associated with excessive mucus production and with swelling of the mucous lining of the respiratory passages.
Atelectasis
Collapse of the alveolar air spaces of the lungs.
Bronchial breath sounds
Normal breath sounds made by air moving through the bronchi.
Bronchiolitis
Inflammation of the bronchial is that usually occurs in children younger than two years and is often caused by the respiratory syncytial virus.
Bronchitis
And acute or chronic inflammation of the lungs that may damage lung tissue; usually associated with cough and production of sputum and, depending on it’s cause, sometimes fever.
Carbon dioxide retention
A condition characterized by a chronically high blood level of carbon dioxide in which the respiratory center no longer response to high blood levels of carbon dioxide.
Carbon monoxide
And odorless, colorless, tasteless, and highly poisonous gas that results from incomplete oxidation of carbon in combustion.
Chronic bronchitis
Irritation of the major lung passageways from infectious disease or irritants such a smoke.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
A slow process of dilation and disruption of the airways and alveoli caused by chronic bronchial obstruction.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
A method of ventilation used primarily in the treatment of critically ill patients with respiratory distress; can prevent the need for endotracheal intubation.
Crackles
Crackling, rattling breath sound signaling fluid in the air spaces of the lungs; formerly called rales.
Croup
And inflammatory disease of the upper respiratory system that may cause a partial airway obstruction and is characterized by a barking cough; usually seen in children.
Diphtheria
An infectious disease in which a membrane forms, lining the pharynx; this lining can severely obstruct the passage of air into the larynx.
Dyspnea
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
Embolus
A blood clot or other substance in the circulatory system that travels to a blood vessel where it causes a blockage.
Emphysema
A disease of the lungs in which there is extreme dilation and eventual destruction of the pulmonary alveoli with poor exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide; it is one form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Epiglottitis
A disease in which the epiglottis becomes inflamed and enlarged and may cause an upper airway obstruction.
Hay fever
An allergic response usually to outdoor airborne allergens such as pollen or sometimes indoor allergens such as dust mites or pet dander; also called allergic rhinitis.
Hyperventilation
Rapid or deep breathing that lowers the blood carbon dioxide level below normal.
Hyperventilation syndrome (panic attack)
This syndrome occurs in the absence of other physical problems. The respirations of a person who is experiencing hyperventilation syndrome may be as high as 40 shallow breaths/min or as low as only 20 very deep breaths/min.
Hypoxia
A condition in which the body’s cells and tissues do not have enough oxygen.
Hypoxic drive
A condition in which chronically low levels of oxygen in the blood stimulate the respiratory drive; seen in patients with chronic lung diseases.
Influenza type A
Virus that has crossed the animal/human barrier and has infected humans, recently reaching a pandemic level with the H1N1 strain.
Metered-dose inhaler (MDI)
A miniature spray canister used to direct medications through the mouth and into the lungs.
Orthopnea
Severe dyspnea experience when lying down and relieved by sitting up.
Oxygenation
The process of delivering oxygen to the blood.
Pandemic
An outbreak that occurs on a global scale.
Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
Severe shortness of breath, especially at night after several hours of reclining; the person is forced to sit up to breathe.
Pertussis (whooping cough)
And airborne bacterial infection that affects mostly children younger than six years. Patients will be feverish and exhibit a “whoop” sound on inspiration after a coughing attack; highly contagious through droplet infection.
Pleural effusion
A collection of fluid between the lung and chest wall that may compress the lung.
Pleuritic chest pain
Sharp, stabbing pain in the chest that is worsened by a deep breath or other chest wall movement; often caused by inflammation or irritation of the pleura.
Pneumonia
An infectious disease of the lung that damages lung tissue.
Pneumothorax
A partial or complete accumulation of air in the pleural space.
Pulmonary edema
A buildup of fluid in the lungs, usually as a result of congestive heart failure.
Pulmonary embolism
A blood clot that breaks off from a large vein and travels to the blood vessels of the lung, causing obstruction of blood flow.
Respiration
The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
A virus that causes an infection of the lungs and breathing passages; can lead to other serious illnesses that affect the lungs or heart, such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia. RSV is highly contagious and spreads through droplets.
Rhonchi
Coarse breath sounds heard in patients with chronic mucus in the airways.
Small-volume nebulizer
A respiratory device that holds liquid medicine that is turned into a fine mist. The patient inhales the medication into the airways and lungs as a treatment for conditions such as asthma.
Stridor
A harsh, high-pitched, barking inspiratory sound often heard in acute laryngeal (upper airway) obstruction.
Tuberculosis (TB)
A disease that can lay dormant in a persons lungs for decades, then reactivate; many strains are resistant to antibiotics. TB is spread by cough.
Ventilation
Exchange of air between the lungs and the environment, spontaneously by the patient or with assistance from another person, such as an EMT.
Vesicular breath sounds
Normal breath sounds made by air moving in and out of the alveoli.
Wheezing
Hey high-pitched, whistling breath sound, characteristically heard on expiration in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
