ICL COPD - Week 3 Flashcards
Symptoms of COPD
Peripheral oedema, frequent respiratory infection Hx, barrel chest, chest tightness, chronic cough (productive), lack of energy/fatigue, unintended weight loss, depression, anxiety, dyspnoea, tachypnoea, pursed lip breathing, cyanosis, tachycardia.
Findings on auscultation for COPD
Coarse crackles. Decreased breath sounds.
Findings on percussion for COPD
Hyper-resonance.
2 main types of COPD
Chronic bronchitis & emphysema.
Signs of chronic bronchitis
Overweight, cyanosis, peripheral oedema, wheezing
Remember ‘blue bloater.’
Signs of emphysema
Older & thinner, severe dyspnoea, quiet chest
Remember ‘pink puffer.’
Chronic bronchitis definition
Daily productive cough for 3 months or more in at least two consecutive years.
Emphysema pathophysiology
Permanent enlargement and destruction of airspaces distal to the terminal bronchioles.
Comorbidities of COPD
Coronary artery disease, osteoporosis, muscle weakness.
Causes of COPD
Toxins in cigarette smoke, air pollution, work related chemical exposure, genetic alpa-1 deficiency-related.
Bullectomy
Surgical removal of one or more of the very large bullae (large air sacs that form from hundreds of destroyed alveoli).
Key difference btw asthma & COPD flow-volume loops.
No improvement upon bronchodilator administration for COPD.
Pathophysiology of chronic bronchitis
Inflammation of bronchi
Noxious stimuli -> epithelium produces pro-inflammatory cytokines -> hyperplasia of goblet cells -> overproduction of mucous -> predisposed to terminal bronchiole collapse.
Pathophysiology of emphysema
Damage to the respiratory zone
Noxious stimuli -> leukocyte recruitment (e.g., neutrophils) -> elastase & protease enzyme production -> break down of structures in respiratory areas (e.g., elastin) -> reduced SA -> compromised gas transfer.
