Clinical Conditions

Question 1

What is bronchiectasis?

Answer 1

Bronchiectasis is the chronic dilatation of one or more bronchi wherein the bronchi exhibit poor mucus clearance and there is predisposition to recurrent/chronic bacterial infection

Question 2

What is Type I renal tubular acidosis?

Answer 2

Type I RTA (distal) is a condition characterised by the failure of H⁺ secretion into lumen of nephron by the alpha intercalated cells of the medullary collecting duct of the distal nephron

Question 3

What is lactic acidosis?

Answer 3

Lactic acidosis is a condition characterised by the buildup of lactate in the body which leads to poor tissue perfusion and is often caused by exercising to exhaustion

Question 4

What is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

Answer 4

• COPD is a disease state which encompasses both emphysema and chronic bronchitis and is characterised by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible
• Airflow limitation is progressive and associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of lungs to noxious particles/gases

Question 5

What is miliary tuberculosis?

Answer 5

• Miliary tuberculosis is the widespread dissemination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis via hematogenous spread
• It occurs either during primary infection or during reactivation and often multiple organs involved (including the lungs)

Question 6

What is tuberculosis?

Answer 6

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis which mainly affects the lungs, but can affect any part of the body (abdomen, glands, bones and nervous system

Question 7

What is Respiratory distress of the newborn?

Answer 7

• Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome is a condition occurring in premature infants caused by developmental insufficiency of pulmonary surfactant production and structural immaturity in the lungs
• There is an insufficient amount of surfactant to inflate and ventilate the lungs

Question 8

What is uraemic acidosis?

Answer 8

Uraemic acidosis is advanced renal failure which leads to reduced acid secretion & the build up of plasma phosphate, sulphate, urate

Question 9

What is Guillain-Barré syndrome?

Answer 9

Guillain–Barré syndrome is a rare and serious condition causing rapid-onset muscle weakness due to the immune system damaging the peripheral nervous system

Question 10

What is a pulmonary embolism?

Answer 10

A pulmonary embolism is when and embolism passes through the right side of the heart and lodges in the pulmonary arteries

Question 11

What is acute bronchitis?

Answer 11

Acute bronchitis is the short-term inflammation of medium-sized airways

Question 12

What is emphysema?

Answer 12

Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of breath due to over-inflation of the alveoli

Question 13

What is an embolism?

Answer 13

An embolism is the movement of material from one part of the circulation to another

Question 14

What is ketoacidosis?

Answer 14

Ketoacidosis is a life-threatening metabolic state associated with high concentrations of ketone bodies in the blood and is a complication of Type I Diabetes

Question 15

What is Type 1 Respiratory Failure?

Answer 15

• Type 1 Respiratory Failure is defined as a low pO₂ (< 8 kPa) or O₂ saturation (<90%) in breathing room air at sea level
• pCO₂ might be normal or low

Question 16

What is respiratory failure?

Answer 16

Respiratory failure is a condition which results from inadequate gas exchange by the respiratory system so that arterial oxygen, carbon dioxide or both cannot be kept at normal levels

Question 17

What is kyphoscoliosis?

Answer 17

Kyphoscoliosis is a deformity of the spine characterized by abnormal curvature of the vertebral column in the lateral and anterior planes

Question 18

What is Type II renal tubular acidosis?

Answer 18

Type 2 RTA (proximal) is a condition characterised by a failure of the proximal tubular cells to reabsorb filtered bicarbonate from the urine, leading to urinary bicarbonate wasting and subsequent acidaemia

Question 19

What is Type 2 Respiratory Failure?

Answer 19

Type 2 Respiratory Failure is defined as a low pO₂ (< 8 kPa) and pCO₂

Question 20

What is chronic bronchitis?

Answer 20

Chronic bronchitis is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease involving a productive cough due to inflamed bronchial tubes and the overproduction of mucus

Question 21

What is alkalaemia?

Answer 21

Alkalaemia is a condition wherein the plasma pH > 7.45

Question 22

What is pneumonia?

Answer 22

Pneumonia is a condition resulting from the inflammation of the lung parenchyma (alveoli) and the accumulation of fluid in the air spaces

Question 23

What is asthma?

Answer 23

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways, wherein widespread but variable airflow obstruction and increased airway responsiveness to a variety of stimuli occurs

Question 24

What is acidaemia?

Answer 24

Acidaemia is a condition wherein the plasma pH < 7.35

Question 25

What is cystic fibrosis?

Answer 25

Cystic fibrosis is a multisystem, autosomal recessive disease occurring due to a mutation in the CFTR molecule which is characterised by thickened secretions

Question 26

What is pneumothorax?

Answer 26

• Pneumothorax is a condition which occurs when air or gas is present within the pleural space
• This removes surface tension of the serous flluid in the space and reduces lung extension