Lower Respiratory Tract Infection/ Pathology, Clinical Features and Management in Adults Flashcards
what is acute bronchitis?
short term inflammation of the bronchi of the lungs
what are symptoms of acute bronchitis?
coughing mucus cough wheezing shortness of breath fever chest discomfort
how long does acute bronchitis generally last?
from a few to 10 days
what are the major complications of acute bronchitis?
severe shortness of breath
COPD
respiratory failure
increased mortality rate
what is pneumonia?
lung inflammation caused by bacterial or viral infection, in which the air sacs fill with pus and may become solid
does pneumonia effect both lungs as well as just one?
yes
what is the best way for diagnosing pneumonia?
a chest x-ray
what are used to confirm an infection and identify the type of organism causing infection?
blood tests
what are the signs and symptoms of pneumonia?
chest pain when you breathe or cough confusion or changes in mental awareness cough, which may produce phlegm fatigue fever, sweating and shaking chills
what are complication of pneumonia?
bacteremia
difficulty breathing
pleural effusion
lung abscess
what is bronchiectasis?
a disease in which there is permanent enlargement of parts of the airways in the lung
what are the clinical features of bronchiectasis?
cough and daily mucopurulent sputum production blood streaked sputum or hemoptysis from airway damage associated with acute infection dyspnea pleuritic chest pain wheezing fever weakness fatigue wight loss
what are symptoms of bronchiectasis?
chronic cough with mucus production
shortness of breath
coughing up of blood
chest pain
what is a lung abscess?
it is defined as necrosis of the pulmonary tissue and formation of cavities containing necrotic debris or fluid caused by microbial infection
what is the pus filled cavity in a lung abscess caused by?
aspiration, which may occur during anaesthesia, sedation or unconsciousness from injury
what is the formation of multiple small abscesses occasionally referred to as?
necrotising pneumonia or lung gangrene
early symptoms of lung abscess are similar to what other lower respiratory tract infection?
pneumonia
what are the early symptoms of lung abscesses?
fatigue
sweating during the night
fever
a cough that brings up sputum
what are the complications of lung abscesses?
rupture into pleural space causing empyema,
pleural fibrosis and
a trapped lung
what is a pleural empyema?
it is a collection of pus in the pleural cavity caused by microorganisms, usually bacteria
name a kind of pleural effusion
an empyema
what does an empyema normally occur?
after pneumonia, injury or chest surgery
what are the symptoms of a simple empyema?
shortness of breath dry cough fever sweating chest pain when breathing that may be described as stabbing headache confusion loss of appetite
what is bronchopneumonia?
it is an acute inflammation of the lungs, arising in the bronchi or bronchioles
what are symptoms of bronchopneumonia?
fever a cough that brings up mucus shortness of breath chest pain rapid breathing sweating chills headaches
what are complications of bronchopneumonia?
bloodstream infections
sepsis
lung abscess
pleural effusion
what are blood tests used for in the diagnosis of bronchopneumonia?
to confirm an infection and to try and identify the type of organism causing the infection
why would a chest x-ray be done in the diagnosis of bronchopneumonia?
to help diagnose and determine the extend and location of the infection
what is lobar pneumonia?
it is an acute exudative inflammation of an entire pulmonary lobe
what are the presentations of lobar pneumonia?
productive cough dyspnoea pyrexia riggers malaise pleuritic pain occasionally haemoptysis
what are clinical presentations of lobar pneumonia?
dulness to percussion in a lobar pattern, bronchial breathing and adventitious breath sounds
what are the complications of lobar pneumonia?
subphrenic abscess
what would you do to diagnose lobar pneumonia?
a chest x ray
blood tests
sputum sample
what are the complications and consequences of lower respiratory tract infections?
apnoea encephalopathy meningitis Steven Johnson syndrome bronchiectasis lung abscess
what is apnoea?
it is temporary cessation of breathing, especially during sleep
what is encephalopathy?
it is a disease in which the functioning of the brain is affected by some agent or condition
what is Steven Johnson syndrome?
it is a type of severe skin reaction
what do all patients with empyema require?
antibiotic treatment and pleural fluid drainage
what is the treatment of empyema aimed at?
removing the pus and fluid from the pleura and treating the infection
what are antibiotics used for in the treatment of an empyema?
they are used to treat the underling infection
what does the method used to drain the pus depend on?
the stage of the empyema
what are common organisms leading to a lower respiratory tract infection?
Strep. pneumonia haemophilia influenzae moraxella catarrhalis staphylococcus aureus mycoplasma chlamydia coxiella legionella
