CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE Flashcards
1
Q
What is COPD?
A
an umbrella term used to describe progressive lung diseases including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, refractory (non-reversible) asthma, and some forms of bronchiectasis
2
Q
Is it common?
A
yes
3
Q
What age group does it tend to affect?
A
over 35s
4
Q
What are the risk factors? (5)
A
- smoking
- age >35 yrs
- pollution
- genetics
- asthma
5
Q
What are the symptoms? (4)
A
- cough
- sputum
- dyspnoea
- wheeze
6
Q
What is a pink puffer, what is it due to and what condition does it usually refer to? (3)
A
- COPD patient with a pink complexion.
- due to decreased cardiac output and increased breathing
- usually refers to emphysema
7
Q
What is a blue bloater? (3)
A
- someone who looks cyanosed
- due to CO2 retention
- usually due to bronchitis
8
Q
What are the signs? (9)
A
- tachypnoea
- hyperinflation
- decreased cricosternal distance
- decreased expansion
- hyperressonance on percussion
- quiet breath sounds
- wheeze
- cyanosis
- cor pulmonale
9
Q
Differential diagnosis (7)
A
- asthma
- congestive heart failure
- bronchiectasis
- allergic fibrosing alveolitis
- asbestosis
- TB
- cancer
10
Q
Investigations (7)
A
- FBC
- PCV
- CXR
- ECG
- AbG
- FEV1/FVC
- Spirometry
11
Q
What is the PCV, what would happen to the PVC in COPD and why? (3)
A
- Packed cell volume
- shows the percentage of RBC circulating in the blood
- would increase due to abnormal RBC production in compensation
12
Q
What would the CXR show? (5)
A
- hyperinflation
- flat hemidiaphragms
- large central pulmonary arteries
- decreased peripheral vascular markings
- bullae
13
Q
What would the ECG show? (2)
A
- right atrial and ventricular hypertrophy
- indicative of cor pulmonale
14
Q
What would be seen in the ABG?
A
- PaO2 - mild to moderately decreased
- PaCO2 - increased with chronic COPD
15
Q
What are the treatments? (7)
A
- stop smoking
- mucolytics
- steroids
- flu and pneumococcal vaccine
- long term O2 therapy
- antibiotics
- physio - if excessive sputum
