clinical Flashcards
What is breathlessness also known as?
dyspnoea
what might be the cause of breathlessness if its severity alters at different times in the day?
Asthma.
What might be the cause of orthopnoea?
breathlessness on lying flat
pulmonary oedema is the most common but this is a symptom for any severe respiratory disease.
What might be the cause of paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea?
(waking up breathless in the night?
Pulmonary oedema or asthma.
What are non respiratory causes of breathlessness?
- anaemia
- Heart failure
- cardiac arrhythmias
- Anxiety
- diabetic ketoacidosis
What are the four classes of sputum?
- Mucoid - clear,grey or white
- Serous-watery or frothy
- Mucopurulent - yellowish tinge
- Purulent - dark green/yellow.
Do bronchogenic carcinomas cause production of mucous?
ii. What is the exception?
No. they cause irritation which leads to the cough reflex?
ii. rare alveolar cell carcinoma - produces copious amounts of mucoid sputum.
How does a bovine cough occur?
ii. what can it be a sign of ?
coughing relies on adequate closure of vocal chords and the raising of intra-thoracic pressure.
Bronchial tumour may prevent complete closure by effecting the laryngeal nerve. This creates a bovine cough.
ii. Lung cancers.
What are non respiratory causes of coughing?
- Gastroesophageal reflux
2. Postnalsal drip secondary sinusitis or drug induced.
What is the difference between haemoptysis and haematemesis?
Haemoptysis - coughing up of blood
Haematemesis - vomiting of blood.
What are respiratory causes of haemoptysis?
- bronchial carcinoma
- Pulmonary embolism— caused by DVT maybe
- TB
- Pneumonia
- Bronchiectasis
- Acute/chronic bronchitis
- Pulmonary vasculitis.
What is the difference between a polyphonic and monophonic wheeze?
Polyphonic- different notes - could mean widespread airflow obstruction. Asthma most likely
Monophonic- one note single airway partially obstructed. Asthma- mucus plug or tumour causing a narrowing.
Commonest respiratory causes of wheeze?
- COPD
- Asthma
- Pulmonary oedema
What is stridor?
What could be a cause ?
- Audible inspiratory noise- indicates partial obstruction of the upper,large airways.
ii. Tumour
epiglottitis
inhalation of foreign body.
What are the characteristics of pleural pain?
What are its causes?
- Sharp stabbing pain.
Pulmonary emboluus or infection.
What are the main causes of chest pain respiratory and non respiratory?
- Tietze’s syndrome - costochondral junction.
- Rib fracture or tumour - Bone
- Herpes zoster, pancoast tumour - Nerves
- Acid reflux - oesophagus
- MI,aortic dissection and aortic aneurysm - heart and vessels
- Pneumothorax and Pulomanry embolism (PE)- pleura
- Strain from coughing - muscle.
What could be a cause for unintentional weight loss?
- Carcinoma
- TB
- severe emphysema
what are the causes of ankle swelling?
- COPD
2. Cor pulmonale
What can childhood infections such as pneumonia lead to?
Bronchiectasis
How can you calculate number of pack years?
(Packs smoked per day) x (years as a smoker)
What is the normal respiratory rate?
12-20 breaths per minute
What is the term used to describe a breath rate higher than 20 breaths per minute?
Tachypnoea
What is the term used to describe a breath rate lower than 12 breaths per minute?
Bradypnoea
What is kussmaul respiration?
ii. What are its causes?
Hyperventilation with deep sighing respirations
ii. Diabetic ketoacidosis
Aspirin overdose
Acute massive pulmonary embolism