Lecture 22- Symptoms and signs of respiratory disease Flashcards
many diseases involvinf different parts of the respiratory system
airways
lung parenchma
pulmonary circulation
pleura
chrst wall and neuromusculat
Airways (intrathoracic)
- Asthma
- COPD
- Bronchiectasis
- Cystic Fibrosis
Lung parenchyma
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Pneumonia
- TB
Pulmonary circulation
• Pulmonary embolism
Pleura (between)
- Pneumothorax
- Pleural effusion
Chest wall shape and neuromuscular
• e.g. kyphoscoliosis, myasthenia gravis
when trying to diagnose a resp condition
- history
- clinical exam
- +- furthrr investigations
Cardinal* Signs and Symptoms of Respiratory Disease
- SoB
- chest pain
- cough
- sputum
- Wheeze/ stridor
- Haemoptysis
dyspnoea is a
subjective awareness of icnrease effort breathing
- Symptom rather than a sign…
- But may be objective evidence i.e. raised RR, accessory muscle use
SoB is very common and variably described
Common to all respiratory conditions
But not specific..e.g. anaemia, heart failure, obesity
further questions to ask if someone is breathless
- onset, duration, timing
- progression
- precipitating factors
- severity
- e.g. when speaking or when walking
chest pain…..
many potential causes
- pleura
- chest wall
- mediastinal structures
chest pain associated with the pleura
- Infection (causing pleurisy)
- Pneumothorax
- Pulmonary embolism (causing infarct)
chest pain associated with the chest wall
- Rib fracture
- Costochondritis
- Shingles (varicella zoster)
chest pain associated with mediastinal structures
- ACS (acute coronary syndrome)
- Pericarditis
- Oesophagitis/GORD
• Aortic dissection
Pleuritic chest pain
irriation of the parietal pleura
- thoracic or shoulder tip - referred- intercosta nerve/phrenic nerve
- Pleuritic pain
- Sharp
- Often well localised
- Worsens with inspiration, coughing, positional movement
cardiac pain
outline coughing
a short explosive expulsion of air- importantn protective mechanism
–> tirggered by stimulation of mechano and or chemoreceptors within airway e.g. by irriation e.g. inflammation or foregin body
- adduction of VCs
- contraction of itnernal intercostals and abdominal muscles= increased intrthoracic pressure
- abduction of VCs
cough characteristics to think about
Productive cough = sputum
Character e.g.
Timing
Commonest cause is URTI
But…can be a sign of more serious and/or chronic disease
producitve cough can mean
sputum and haemoptysis
chronic bronhcitis and COPD sputum
clear sputum- no active infection
Yellow/green sputum (live/dead neutrophils)
infection
Large volumes (yellow/green)could suggest
bronchiectasis