COPD Flashcards
What are the 4 MAIN causes of Breathlessness
- Heart conditions
- Lung conditions
- Anxiety
- being unfit
there’s more and if you get breathless every day, you might be diagnosed with one or more of theses causes
Can all conditions that cause long term breathlessness be treated?
Some can, but some cannot be fully reversed
What are the different ways in which lung conditions can cause breathlessness?
Some conditions causes inflammation and narrowing of airways OR fill airways with phlegm so that its harder for air toy move in and out lungs
some make lungs stiff and less elastic so it’s harder for them to expand and fill with air
What are examples of lung conditions that cause long term breathlessness
- COPD
- asthma
- interstitial lung disease including pulmonary fibrosis
- bronchiectasis
- lung cancer
- industrial or occupational lung diseases such as asbestosis - caused by asbestos
What are examples of lung conditions that causes acute short term breathlessness
- A flare up of asthma or COPD
- Pulmonary embolism or blood clot in lung
- lung infection suc as pneumonia or tuberculosis
- pneumothorax or collapsed lung
- build up of fluid in lungs or lining of lungs- caused by liver diseases or cancer or infection or heart not pumping blood efficiently
Why do people experience long term breathlessness due to heart failure
This is due to problems with the rhythm, valves or cardiac muscles of the heart
How can heart failure cause breathlessness
Heart cant pump blood to meet demand due to exercise
lungs becomes congested and filled with fluid
Why is breathlessness often worse when lying flat
Heart failure can be worse at night or when asleep
What are examples of heart conditions that cause acute breathlessness
- Heart attack
- abnormal heart rhythm; may feel heart miss a beat or feel palpitations
Why do people feel short of breath when they’re anxious or afraid
Normal response as body thinks it’s a stressful situation and body is preparing for action
you breathe faster and tense your breathing muscles
Describe how levels of fitness affect breathing
If unfit, the breathing muscles get weaker as we dont use them as often
Weaker muscles need more oxygen to work, hence the weak your muscles, the more breathless we feel
How does having an unhealthy weight make you feel breathless
Underweight- breathing muscles are weaker
Overweight- it takes more effort to breathe and move around. Having more weight around chest and abdomen restricts movement of Lungs.
those with BMI over 25 have higher chance of having breathlessness than people with healthy weight
Wat can people who are severely overweight develop?
Hypoventilation syndrome- this is when poor breathing leads to lower oxygens levels and higher CO2 levels in blood
What are the OTHER reasons for long term breathlessness
- Smoking
- kidney disease
- Thyroid disease
- anaemia- lack of iron in body leads to few red blood cells
- Scoliosis and kyphosis- shape of spine affect how ribs and lungs expand
- conditions that affect muscles like DMD and myasthenia gravis or motor neurone disease
What is a panic attack
When normal body’s response is exaggerated and there’s a rapid build up of physical responses
the body tries to take in more oxygens and breathing quickens
the body also release hormones so your heart beats faster and your muscles tense
What do people who have panic attack feel (symptoms)?
- Can’t breathe- very frightening
- have a pounding heart
- sweat
- feel sick
- have shaky limbs
- feel you’re not connected to your body
What symptoms are very similar to anxiety
- Breathlessness
- tightness in chest
- getting tired easily
How can physical health impact mental Health in terms of anxiety
Those with long term conditions like lung condition may feel that they are not in control of the condition and may feel anxious which can exarcebate breathlessness
Why is it better to bring someone with you to the doctors if you’re worried about breathlessness
You may not be breathless at the time of consultation. The person can help describe the sympotoms to the doctor better
What will a doctor show you to help you describe your breathlessness
MRC BREATHLESSNESS SCALE
What does the MRC breathlessness scale does or doesnt recognise?
It DOES NOT recognise how you think or feel about getting out of breath
However, it helps to show what your breathlessness stops you from doing
Outline the MRC breathlessness scale in terms of grade
During the consultation, what is also important to tell your doctor
- What you used to be able to do but now you can not do anymore
- What people of your age around you do that you think you should be able to do
- what your personal goals are for your day to day activity
may be useful to use local landmarks such as bus stops, shops and hills to help.
What questions will my doctor ask?
- How long have you been feeling breathless and how quickly did it come on?
- Does it come and go or is it there all the time?
- Is there any pattern to your breathlessness?
- Does it start or get worse at any particular time of day?
- Does it come on or get worse when you lie flat?
- Does anything bring it on? For example, pollen, pets or medication?
- Do you smoke?
- Do you also have a cough, or bring up phlegm?
- Do you get chest pain, palpitations or ankle swelling?
- How active are you usually?
- What’s your job or occupation?
- Is your breathlessness related to certain times at work?
- Do you have a history of heart, lung or thyroid disease or of anaemia?
- Have you made any changes in your life because of your shortness of breath?
- Do you feel worried or frightened, depressed or hopeless?
- What have you done to help you cope with the way you’re feeling?
What are the likely test that a doctor will perform to diagnose what’s causing breathlessness
- do some breathing and lung function tests
- check the number of breaths you take every minute, listen to your chest, and look and feel how your chest moves as you breathe
- check your heart rate and rhythm and check if fluid is building up in your ankles or lungs
- check your blood pressure and temperature
- check your height, weight, waist and body mass index
- examine your head, neck and armpits to see if your lymph glands are swollen
- look at your eyes, nails, skin and joints
- check your blood oxygen levels with a pulse oximeter
If the doctor spots that you’re anxious or depressed during the consultation, what may they ask you to do?
To complete a short questionnaire
What FURTHER tests may you be referred for
- Chest X ray
- spirometry test
- ECG- if breathlessness is intermittent you may be asked to wear a portable recorder for 24 hrs or 7 days.
- echocardiogram- non invasive ultrasound of heart to show how it’s working
- Blood tests- to detect anaemia, allergies or any thyroid, liver, kidney or heart problems
How long does it take to get a diagnosis
Takes some time- variable
they may be repeated tests and various treatments be tried before cause is identified
When should investigations be arranges to identify or confirm underlying cause of breathlessness
No indication for emergency admission
When diagnosis cannot be confidently identified by clinical features ALONE what initial investigation should you do?
- ECG- look for signs of arrhythmia, heart failure and pulmonary embolism
- Chest radiography- look for signs of heart failure and pulmonary pathology (including pleural effusion)
- Spirometry- look for signs of obstrucitve dieases or restrictive pattern associated with interstitial lung disease
- Full blood count - look for anemia
- Urea and electrolytes and random blood glucose levels- to tes for renal failure and diabetes as cause of metabolic acidosis and breathlessness
- Thyroid function test
- B -type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro -B type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP); to assess for heart failure
If initial investigations do not identify with cause of breathlessness what should you do?
Reassess for risks factors and clinical features of pulmonary embolism, if this is suspected, arrange urgent referral for further investigations
If there’s suspected asthma or COPD, what should you do and what results confirm airway obstruction
Assess airway obstruction by spirometry
Result to confirm airway obstruction- FEV1 is less than 80% of predicted value and FEV1/FVC ratio is 70 %
Nota bene: a normal peak expriatory flow rate doesnt exclude significant obstruction
What are the clinical features of distinguishing asthma from COPD
- Smoking history - almost always present with COPD
- Age- older than 35 yrs for COPD
- chronic productive cough- common with COPD, uncommon with asthma
- Breathelssness- progressive with COPD but variable with asthma
- Variabiltiy of symptoms - common with asthma but uncommon for COPD
- Night tree wakening of wheeze and breathlessness- common with asthma; uncommon with COPD
What should you consider if asthma and COPD CANNOT be distinguished by clinical features alone
- If you have asthma you’d have a large response to bronchodilators(more than 400mL) or prednisolone (30mg orally for 14 days)
- if FEV1 or FEV1/FVC ratio RETURN to NORMAL with drug therapy, then there’s no COPD
- if there’s asthma, then there’s significant diurnal/ day to day variability of serial peak flow measurement.
If doubt still remains, refer to specialist
Once confirmed it;s COPD, what should you arrange for people with this?
Arrange chest radiography to exclude other serious lung pathology such as lung cancer
FBC- to identify anaemia or polycythaemia
What should you do if there’s suspected heart failure
- Perform ECG for ALL people with this
- For people without history of MI, check BNP or NTproBNP and refer to specialist assessment and echocardiography if it’s raised above agreed levels for referral
- For people with history of MI, refer directly for urgent specialist assessment to be seen within 2 weeks
What should you do if theire’s suspected bronchiectaisis
- Arrange chest radiography- to exclude other symptoms
- refer to respiratory specialist fpr confirmation of diagnosis by High resolution CT
What should you do if there’s suspected abdominal splinting secondary to ascites
- Arrange abdominal ultrasound scan to confirm presence of ascites and to exclude or confirm liver cirrhosis and peritoneal cancer
- arrange other investigations guided by relevant clinical findings=- like ESR and liver function tests; for signs of cancer
- awaitng results of investigation should not delay urgent referral if cancer is suspected
What should you do is there’s suspected lung/pleural cancer
Urgent chest X-ray should be performed (WITHIN 2 WEEKS); but it depends on specific patients and their conditions
There is suspected lung or pleural cancer
What are the extra indications for performing a chest X ray for a patient who is 40 yrs and older AND have breathlessness
- If they have ever smoked
- exposed to asbestos
- have the following unexplained symptoms like: cough, fatigue, chest pain, weight loss and appetite loss
There’s suspected lung/pleural cancer
What are the extra indications to perform an urgent Chest X ray for patients that are 40 yrs and older but this time there’s no breathlessness
- Persistent/ recurrent chest infection
- finger clubbing
- supraclavicular lymphadenopathy or persistent cervical lympahdenopathy
- Chest signs consistent with lung cancer or pleural disease
- Thrombocytosis
What are the history presenting complaints showed by Mr Craven
- Can’t go up stairs/ run to catch the bus- its a lot harder
- Pace has gone down overtime
- Has shortness of breath on exertion- caused by hypoxia