Hubbard Clin Med DSAs Flashcards
What defines an acute, subacute, and chronic cough?
acute < 3 weeks subacute = 3-8 weeks chronic > 8 weeks
What is the MRC dyspnea scale?
- not troubled by breathlessness except on strenuous exercise
- SOB when hurrying on level or walking up a slight hill
- walks slower than most ppl, stops after a mile or after 15 min at own pace
- stops for breath after 100 yds
- too breathless to leave house, or breathless when undressing
Where does the sensation of dyspnea arise?
sensory input from resp muscles and lungs –> cerebral cortex
When should someone w/ dyspnea be transferred to acute care?
w/ significant tachypnea, accessory m use, or conversational dyspnea
What are the diagnoses of exclusion for acute dyspnea?
panic disorder and hyperventilation syndrome
What is the primary initial diagnostic tool for dyspnea?
chest x-ray
What does presence of a basal opacity w/ a meniscus on CXR represent?
pleural effusion
When is dyspnea considered chronic?
when sx persit longer than 1 month
What is the key to workup of chronic dyspnea?
detailed history
What should the HPI include for dyspnea?
quality
precipitating events
associated features
risk factors for cardiac and pulmonary dz
How do ppl w/ CHF describe their dyspnea?
What about asthmatics?
chf = air hunger
asthma = chest tightness
When do you cardiopulm exercise testing and how is it done?
pt w/ dyspne whose hx, exam, and initial workup are unrevealing
pt exercises on treatmill or stationary bike w/ continuous oximetry and ECG and measurement of exhaled gases
What is the most reliable indicator of the degree of dyspnea?
Pt self-report
What are the most common causes of ARDS?
pulmonary and nonpulmonary sepsis
What is the timing requirement for diagnosis of ARDS?
w/in 7 days of precipitating cause or onset of new/worsening resp sx
What is the chest imaging requirement for diagnosis of ARDS?
bilateral airspace opacities
cannot be explained otherwise
What are the definitions of mild, moderate, and severe oxygenation deficits?
mild PaO2 300 or less
moderate 200 or less
severe 100 or less
What are the 5 most common direct lung injury causes of ARDS?
pneumonia
gastric aspiration
chest trauma/lung contusion
inhalation injury
near-drowning
What are the 5 most common indirect lung injury causes of ARDS?
nonpul sepsis
acute pancreatitis
severe nonchest trauma
blood transfusions
surface burns
What auscultation sound is typical of ARDS?
rales
What sx dominate the exudative phase of ARDS?
shunting and hypoxemia
What occurs in the proliferative stage of ARDS?
type II pneumocytes begin to regenerate to replace surfactant and type I cells rebuild epithelium
What is the typical length of the proliferative stage and why is it sometimes longer?
days 7-21
longer sometimes as procollagen III is deposited in interstitial space –> fibrosis
What is the best predictor of outcome of ARDS?
degree of hypoxemia
What is the significance of time to recovery in ARDS?
pts who don’t get lower O2 requirements by day 7 are worse off
What is ECMO?
extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
supports hypoxemia w/out ventilator injury
What is HFOV
advanced ventilator with high resp rates but very small tidal volumes
What is the benefit of ventilation in ARDS?
prone vent at least 16 hrs a day decreases 28 ant 90 day mortality
What is the effect of corticosteroids in ARDS management?
no benefit
can see neuromyopathy
What is the mortality rate of ARDS?
35 to 50%
What causes the hypoxemia in ARDS?
edema in alveoli –> V/Q mismatching
What type of ventilation can help ARDS pts w/ refractory hypoxemia?
high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV)
Where is nasopharyngeal cancer more commonly seen?
in mediterranean countries and far east
What are the most significant risks for head and neck cancer?
alcohol and tobacco
*act synergistically
What viruses are associated w/ head and neck cancer?
EBV - esp med and far east
HPV 16 and 18 - good outcome in young pts
What type of head and neck cancer is frequently associated w/ EBV?
nonkeratinizing and undifferentiated carcinoma (lymphoepithelioma)
What are the premalignant lesions of head and neck cancer?
erythroplakia or leukoplakia
At what age do most tobacco-related head and neck cancers occur?
after age 60
What sex gets head and neck cancer more?
males
How does cancer of the nasopharynx present?
typically no early sx
can cause unilateral serous otitis media
advanced –> neuropathies of cranial nerves
How does oral cancer typically present?
nonhealing ulcers, changes in fit of dentures, or painful lesions
if at tongue base - alterations in speech
How to HPV-related tumors frequently present?
neck lympadenopathy
When would you do a CT scan of the chest for workup of head and neck cancer?
for a heavy smoker to rule out a second lung primary tumor
What are T1-T3 tumors of the head and neck?
primary tumors w/out metastasis
1 = 2 cm or less
2 = 2-4 cm
3 > 4 cm
What are stage 4a and 4b tumors of head and neck?
4a = invades another structure
4b = invades skull base and or encases carotid A
How are pts with head and neck cancer grossly divided?
those w/ localized dz
those w/ locally or regionally advanced dz
those w/ recurrent and/or metastatic dz
How are pts w/ localized head and neck cancer treated?
surgery or radiation
How are pts w/ locally adv head and neck cancer treated?
metastatic?
local: combined surgery, radiation, and chemo –> 50% 5 yr survival
metastatic: palliative care, regional radiation for pain control
What is the median survival time for pts w/ metastatic or recurrent head and neck cancer?
8-10 months
What new txs have improved survival for pts w/ advanced head and neck cancer?
monoclonal Ab w/ standard chemo
What is the best way to prevent lung cancer?
don’t smoke
What screening strategy for lung cancer is est to reduce lung cancer mortality by 14-16%?
low dose CT scans to screen for early stage lung cancer in smokers
What features characterize benign pulm nodules?
no growth in 2 yrs
calcification in a diffuse, central, or laminar pattern
less than 2 cm w/ round edges
What is bisphosphonate therapy used for in lung cancer?
decreases skeletal complications in pts w/ bony metastases
also can use RANK ligand inhibitor
What is the main tx for small cell lung cancer?
combo chemo w/ platinum agent and etoposide + radiation
improves survival, but most pts still relapse and die
What virus is associated w/ nasopharyngeal cancer?
oropharyngeal?
EBV = nose
HPV = mouth
Who should be screened for early lung cancer?
current and former smokers aged 55-85
What are the 5 Ddxs for COPD?
asthma
bronchiectasis
CF
bronchiolitis
alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency
What criteria are most supportive of COPD?
self-reported history of COPD
>40 pack year hx
max laryngeal height = 4 cm
What does cor pulmonale sound and look like?
increased intensity of pulmonic sound
persistently split S2
parasternal lift due to R ventricular hypertrophy
neck V distention, edema, enlarged liver
What spirometry results confirm COPD?
postbronchodilator FEV1 < 80% of predicted
FEV1/FVC ration <70%
What is the BODE system used for?
evaluating the risk for hospitalization and long-term prognosis in COPD pts
When should a nebulizer be used?
when pt cannot use MDI or inhaler bc of severe sx or coordination issues
What are the txs of COPD based on GOLD criteria?
I: short acting bronchodilater as needed
II: regular tx w/ one or more long-acting bronchodilators; add pulm rehab
III: add inhaled corticosteriods
IV: add long-term O2 therapy if chronic resp failure; consider surgery
How often do you take LABAs?
every 12 hours
What are the most common side effects of beta-agonists?
increased HR and tremor
When do you use inhaled anticholinergics for COPD?
comine w/ SABA or LABA and/or theophylline
dont combine tiotropium w/ short-acting anticholinergic
What is the most common side effect of inhaled anticholinergics?
who do you use them with in caution?
dry mouth
watch out for pts w/ urinary obstruction and narrow-angle glaucoma
How does theophylline work and why is it controversial?
What can you use instead?
nonspec PDE inhibitor
narrow therapeutic index
roflumilast is an oral PDE-4 inh
When do you add oxygen therapy in COPD?
PO2 < 55 mm Hg or O2 sat < 88%
or < 59 and < 89 if pulm htn or r-sided hf
How do you use inhaled glucocorticoids in COPD?
never alone
combine w/ bronchodilator w/ recurrent exacerbations
How do you treat COPD exacerbations?
SABA + anticholinergic if no response to SABA
systemic steroids in hospital tx of severe exacerbations