Common Terms in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

Question 1

Massive hemoptysis

Answer 1

Hemoptysis of greater than 200-600 cc

Question 2

Egophony

Answer 2

Auscultation of the sound “AH” instead of “EEE” when a patient phonates “EEE”

Question 3

Reversibility in asthma

Answer 3

> 12% and 200-mL increase in FEV1

• 15 minutes after an inhaled short-acting B2-agonist; or
• 2 to 4 week trial of oral corticosteroids (prednisone or prednisolone 30-40 mg daily)

Question 4

Bronchiectasis

Answer 4

Refers to an irreversible airway dilation that involves the lung in either a focal or a diffuse manner

Question 5

COPD

Answer 5

Disease state characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible; encompasses emphysema, chronic bronchitis and small airways disease

Question 6

Emphysema

Answer 6

Anatomically defined condition characterize by destruction and enlargement of the lung alveoli

Question 7

Chronic bronchitis

Answer 7

Clinically defined condition with chronic cough and phlegm

Question 8

Small airways disease

Answer 8

Condition in which small bronchioles are narrowed

Question 9

Dutch hypothesis

Answer 9

Contends that asthma and COPD are essentially variations of the same disease

Question 10

British hypothesis

Answer 10

Contends that asthma and COPD are fundamentally different diseases

• Asthma is viewed as largely an allergic phenomenon
• COPD results from smoking-related inflammation and damage

Question 11

Massive pulmonary embolism

Answer 11

Present with systemic arterial hypotension and usually with anatomically widespread thromboembolism

Question 12

Moderate to large pulmonary embolism

Answer 12

Present with RV hypokinesis on 2D-echo but normal systemic arterial pressure

Question 13

Small to moderate pulmonary embolism

Answer 13

Present with normal right heart function and normal systemic arterial pressure; excellent prognosis with adequate anticoagulation

Question 14

Meigs’ syndrome

Answer 14

Benign ovarian tumors with ascites and pleural effusion

Question 15

Obstructive sleep apnea

Answer 15

Coexistence of unexplained excessive daytime sleepiness with at least FIVE obstructed breathing events (apnea or hypopnea) per hour of sleep

Question 16

Apnea

Answer 16

Defined in adults as breathing pauses lasting > 10 seconds

Question 17

Hypopnea

Answer 17

> 10 second events where there is continued breathing but ventilation is reduced by at least 50% from the previous baseline during sleep

Question 18

ARDS

Answer 18

Clinical syndrome defined by:

• acute onset (24 hrs)
• bilateral patchy airspace disease
• absence of left atrial hypotension
• profound shunt physiology (PAO2/FIO2