Diagnostics and therapeutic skills Flashcards
what should you inspect during pulm exams
- Pattern, depth of breathing
- Time spent in inspiration and expiration
- Symmetry of expansion
- Retractions
- Digital clubbing¹
- Acrocyanosis
- use of accessory muscles
what should be palpated during a pulmonary exam
- tracheal alignment
- tactile fremitus “99”
- assess cardiac impulses for heaves and PMI
what is tachypnea
above 25 breaths per minute (said in class that its 25)
what is a heave
when you feel the heart pushing the chest forward. indicative of enlarged or deviated heart (said in class)
what would increase or decrease tactile fremitus
- increased with consolidation
- decreased/absent with pleural effusion or pneumothorax
where is the point of maximal impulse palpated and in what position
the 4-5th intercostal space in the midclavicular line with the patient in left lateral decubitus position.
abnormal is if the PMI is felt outside of this expected space
(said in class)
what is considered braypnea
less than 12 breaths a minute
what should be assessed during percussion in a pulm exam? what could cause abnormal findings during percussion?
- normal lungs are resonant
abnormal:
* dull - consolidation, pleural effusion, tumors, liver
* hyperresonant - air, emphysema, asthma, pneumothorax
where is the point of maximal impulse (PMI)
the 5th ICS in the midclavicular line
what are diagnostic modalities for the pulmonary system (BP, CVS, P-COPS)
bronchoscopy
Pulmonary angiography
Chest CT/Spiral CT
V-Q scan
Sputum cytology
Pulmonary function testing
Capnography
Oximetry
Peak flow testing
Sputum culture
what are types of PFTs
- spirometry, plethysmography
(measured against predicted values derived from studies of healthy people of same height, weight, sex, and race) these are the primary types of PFTs
diffusing capacity, 6 minute walk test, peak flow
what are indications for PFTs
- Evaluate patients with respiratory symptoms or rib fracture
- Assess progression of previously diagnosed lung disease
- Monitor the efficacy of treatment
- Evaluate patients preoperatively
- Monitor for potentially toxic side effects of certain drugs
she said “ this is used with more chronic complaints of SOB or lung problems, not with acute complaints.” She did talk about how acute rib fractures are a indication for PFT
what are considerations for PFTs
- patient cooperation and consistent effort is essential
- most children 5 and older can perform PFTs
what is tidal volume
the volume of air inspired or expired with each normal breath at rest
what is inspiratory reserve volume
the maximum volume of air that can be inspired over and above the tidal volume
(the amount you can inhale after youve already inhaled for tidal volume
what is expiratory reserve volume
the volume of air that can be expired after the expiration of the tidal volume
what is residual volume
the volume of air that remains in the lungs after maximal exhalation
what is spirometry
Non-invasive assessment of maximum inspiratory and expiratory volume as well as maximal expiratory effort
how is spirometry performed
completed at bedside, in pulm lab or as an incentive spirometer
may be performed pre and post bronchodilator
what are indications for spirometry
diagnosing/monitoring lung or neuromuscular diseases that affect breathing
prevention of post-surgical/traumatic complications (in class she gave the example of how when someone has pneumonia or is at risk for pneumonia you want them to take deep breaths to prevent the pneumonia from progressing)
what are contraindications/cautions to spirometry
- <6 weeks since abdominal, intracranial, or eye surgery or a pneumothorax
- thoracic, abdominal and cerebra aneurysms
- unstable angina or recent MI
- acute severe asthma, acute respiratory distress or active TB
what are risks of spirometry
minimal risk but could cause dizziness, very rarely causes syncope
what lung volumes can be assessed with spirometry
- vital capacity
- forced vital capacity
- forced expiratory volume in one second
- FEV/FVC
- peak expiratory flow rate
- forced expiratory volume over the middle half of expiration
what is vital capacity
the greatest volume of air that can be expelled from the lungs after taking the deepest possible breath
Peak expiratory flow (PEF) rate
that maximal speed at which air can be exhaled with force
what is forced vital capacity
the amount of air that can be forcibly exhaled from the lungs after taking the deepest breath possible
what is forced expiratory volume in one second
the amount of FVC you can forcibly exhale in 1 second
what is the gold standard of pulmonary function testing
plethysmography
what does plethysmography measure
the total volume of air held in the lungs
when is plethysmography indicated
when a decreased FVC is found on spirometry
what is the procedure of plethysmography
- Performed in air-tight chamber
- Nose is obstructed
- Various transducers measure pressures in the airway and within the box
what are the volume measurements of plethysmography
total lung capacity
functional residual capacity
expiratory reserve volume
residual volume
RV/TLC
vital capacity
what is total lung capacity
the volume of air in the lungs at maximal inspiration (usually calculated by RV + VC)
what is functional residual capacity
the volume of air in the lungs following expiration of the tidal volume (ERV + RV)
what are the three lung volumes that are used to initiate interpretation of plethysmography
- FVC - amount of air moved after the deepest breath possible
- FEV₁ - amount of air moved in the first 1 second
- TLC - total amount of air in the lungs at maximal inspiration
what are the classification of lung disease interpreted from PFTs
obstructive - difficulty exhaling air from lungs
restrictive - difficulty expanding the lungs during inhalation
what are the three values that are reported with PFT reports
- Actual values - what the patient performed
- Predictive values - what the patient should have performed (based upon like-wise healthy patients)
- Percent predicted - a comparison of the actual value to the predicted value
not really a value:
* pre and post bronchodilator responsiveness
what is the expected post bronchodilator responsiveness in adults and in children
adults - increased in FEV1>12% AND >.2L
agres 5-18 - increased FEV1 >12%
Im not really sure whats happening here, maybe learn to label this
that’s okay we’ll figure it out
what are maximal respiratory pressures
measures of respiratory muscle strength that are assessed during plethysmography
what are indications for maximal respiratory pressures
unexplained decrease in VC or suspected respiratory muscle weakness
what physical exam finding is found with obstruction (COPD)
barrel chest
what is the procedure for maximal respiratory pressures
forced expiration (with cheeks bulging) through blocked mouthpiece after a full inhalation
what is the most sensitive PFT
diffusing capacity (DLco)
what is diffusing capacity
assesses the transfer of oxygen and carbon dioxide
what is the procedure for diffusing capacity
patient inhales carbon monoxide (CO) and a tracer gas (methane or helium), holds for 10 sec, exhales forcefully, exhaled air is tested to determine amount of tracer gas remaining
what is a normal result for diffusing capacity
normal is >80%
what is a 6 min walk test assessing
assesses oxygenation during exertion and the distance a patient can walk