Lung/Upper Respiratory Flashcards
the act of listening to sounds arising from within organs (as in the lungs or the heart) as an aid to diagnosis and treatment
auscultation
difficult or labored breathing; shortness of breath (SOB)
dyspnea (-pnea is a suffix that refers to breathing and dys- is a prefix meaning bad, painful, or difficult)
a type of abnormal respiratory or breath sound heard on auscultation, typically from fluid buildup in congestive heart failure (CHF) als known as “crackles”
rales
excessive mucus secretion from the nose, a runny nose
rhinorrhea (-rrhea is a suffix that refers to flow or discharge)
low-pitched, snore-like sounds heard on auscultation of the chest when air channels are particularly obstructed, typically by mucus, worrisome for pneumonia
rhonchi
mucus/pus expectorated from the lungs, typically in a diseased state
sputum
the coughing up of blood or bloody sputum ( a respiratory finding/symptom)
hemoptysis
pain in the calf of the leg upon dorsiflexion of the foot on a physical exam, typically concerning for blood clot in the leg (DVT)
homan’s sign
the escape of a fluid from the blood vessels or lymphatics into the tissues or a body cavity; most commonly in the context of pleural effusion seen on chest x-ray
effusion
relating to or situated at the base, typically referring to the skull or the lungs
basilar
decreased oxygen supply in the body or an area of the body
hypoxia
difficulty breathing that occurs when lying flat due to fluid in the lungs (typically indicative of CHF)
orthopnea
an abnormal, high-pitched breathing sound during inspiration (inhaling) caused by a blockage in the throat or voice box (larynx)
stridor
abnormally fast respiratory rate, typically greater than 20 breaths per minute
tachypnea
a respiratory physical exam finding where a patient refrains from taking full deep breaths due to pain on inspiration; also refers to the act of placing a form of immobilization on an injured extremity
splinting
