Disability and leading signs in respiratory disease Flashcards
What is pulmonary embolism
Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blockage of an artery in the lungs by a substance that has moved from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream (embolism)
What is cardiomyopathy
disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body
When a patient presents with a Long term dry cough with occasional wheezing, and breathlessness, what tests would you do
-spirometry
-FeNO (exhaled nitrous oxide)
-PEFR monitoring
IgE
skin prick tests
Eosinophil counts
What would an eosinophil count help determine
If an infection is present
What does an elevated level of IgE mean
They are elevated in allergic disorders
When is peak flow lower
In the morning
First line treatment for acute severe asthma attack
High dose of O2 nebulised Beta2-agonist IV steroids
When do you use intravenous Beta2 agonist
Those whom inhaled drugs are not reliable
What are hyper expanded chests caused by
Blockages in the air passages o by air sacs, which are less elastic. Interferes with the expulsion of air from the lungs
Likely diagnosis for an older person whom was a heavy smoker, has a hyper expanded chest and whose FEV1 only slightly improves after having salbutamol
COPD
How does FEV1 change as a person quits smoking at a later age
FEV1 percentage of value at 25% decreases
What are the non-drug therapies of COPD
- Stopping smoking
- Education
- Vaccination- pneumococcal/influenza
Drug treatments of COPD
Bronchodilators
Inhaled steroids
Mucolytics
Treat acute exacerbations (antibiotic and oral steroids)
Examples of bronchodilators used to treat COPD
Beta 2 agonists and antimuscarinic agents
What surgery can be done to help COPD
Lung volume reduction surgery
