Lecture 2 (Respiratory) Flashcards
What is a normal breathing rate?
12-20 breaths per minute
What is considered tachypnea?
More than 20 breaths per minute
What is considered bradypnea?
less than 12 breaths per minute
Description of “diminished” or “absent” breaths
Reduced sound of breathing due to obstruction, obesity, shallow breathing
Description of “Wheezes”
High pitched sounds on inspiration/expiration, continuous sometimes audible at open mouth, usually expiratory, heard with asthma and COPD
Description of “Ronchi”
Low pitched continuous, musical, best heard on chest wall, snoring quality of sound
Description of “crackles”
short, high pitched, random, explosive nature, usually on inspiration, passage of air through secretions, heard with emphysema, chronic bronchitis, COPD and can be described as coarse or fine
If a patient has shortness of breath, what can be related reasons to the cause?
pregnancy, ascites (fluid in abdomen), CNS trauma, toxins (local anesthesia toxicity), morbid obesity
What kind of data would you like to see in order to determine what can be the cause of shortness of breath?
- patient health/age
- use of stethoscope
- look for edema
- pulse oximetry
- review diagnostic reports from consultations like x-rays, electrocardiograms, etc.
What kind of questions should you ask if a patient has shortness of breath?
- can the patient tolerate the procedure with minimal risks?
- can the patient have good treatment prognosis with the current medical condition?
- does this medical condition need to be addressed first?
What are the characteristics of COPD?
- Irreversible pulmonary damage
- progressive airflow limitation due to obstruction or abnormal inflammatory response
- permanent alveolar damage
- continuous thick mucous production, lack of gas exchange
- detectable hypoxemia and cyanosis in peripheral tissues
What can cause COPD?
smoking, chronic exposure to inhaled irritants, genetic component
What is the treatment for COPD?
There is no cure, but you can manage using
- bronchodilators
- steroids
- methylxanthines
- supplemental oxygen
Should we give oxygen to a patient with COPD?
It depends
-Patients with COPD have an increase of PCO2 concentration due to the Haldane effect and hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction
What is the haldane effect?
decrease in carbon dioxide affinity of hemoglobin in response to increased blood pH resulting from increased oxygen concentration in blood (if carbon dioxide cannot bind, its cause oxygen has taken over)