Dyspnoea

Question 1

What is this dyspnoea

Answer 1

A high work of breath (WOB)

Difficulty breathing at a level where it is not expected

Question 2

Different tools to measure breathlessness

Answer 2

New your heart association classification of breathlessness (1-5)
Modified medical research Council score (0-4)
Borg scale (0-10)

Question 3

Name two types of dyspnoea

Answer 3

1) orthopnoea: breathlessness when lying down

2) paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea: breathlessness when patient wakes up

Question 4

4 questions to ask when assessing a cough

Answer 4

Is it persistent/painful/ineffective that = abnormal
What type: dry/wet/parking
When does it happen
What aggravates/relieves the cough

Question 5

What is sputum

Answer 5

Excessive secretion

Question 6

3 questions to ask about sputum

Answer 6

Quantity
Colour
Consistency

Question 7

What is a wheezing sound

Answer 7

It is a whistling sound produced by turbulence airflow through narrow airways
The patient can complain about a tight chest

Question 8

4 places that pain can originate from/come from

Answer 8

Pleuritic
Tracheitis
Musculoskeletal
Angina Pectoris

Question 9

Pleuritic symptoms

Answer 9

Inflammation of the pleura
Sharp/stabbing pain
It gets worse with inspiration

Question 10

Symptoms of tracheitis

Answer 10

Burning
Central chest
Gets worse with deep breaths/cough

Question 11

Symptoms of musculoskeletal

Answer 11

Muscle/bones/joints/nerves

Question 12

Symptoms of angina pectoris

Answer 12

Cardiac pain
Pressure/constricting
Pain radiating to the Arm/jaw/neck

Question 13

Name three other symptoms to keep in mind

Answer 13

Fever: could indicate infection
Malignancy or connective-tissue disorder
Night sweats could indicate TB

Fatigue: Could indicate breathlessness

Peripheral oedema: Right-sided heart failure
Caused: corticosteroids
Indication: imprints was finger stays

Question 14

What causes dyspnoea

Answer 14

Cardiac and respiratory disease

Question 15

Wha are the other origins for dyspnoea

Answer 15

Anaemia (check Hb)
Neuromuscular disorder (resp muscle dysfunction)
physiological (anxious)

Question 16

Why is it important to measure dyspnoea (4)

Answer 16

Has a huge impact on quality of life
determine severity
monitor effectiveness of physiotherapy
prescribe exercise intensity

Question 17

Factors that cause a wheeze

Answer 17

Mucus/fluid and airways
Bronchospasm
Respiratory and heart failure

Question 18

Main symptom of a wheeze

Answer 18

Tight chest