Pulmonary Signs and Symptoms Flashcards
Dyspnea
Definition
A subjective sensation of breathlessness, air hunger, or shortness of breath.
Not a physical exam finding.
Dyspnea
Associated Findings
- Tachypnea
- Labored breathing
- High minute ventilation
- No physical signs
Dyspnea
Physiological Causes
-
↑ Ventilatory requirement
- Exercise, hypoxia, metabolic acidosis
-
↑ Airway resistance
- COPD, asthma, upper airway obstruction
-
↓ Lung compliance
- Interstitial lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis
-
↓ Chest wall compliance
- Kyphoscoliosis
-
Psychogenic dyspnea
- “Hyperventilation syndrome”
- Low CO2 causes sensation that you need to breathe faster
- “Hyperventilation syndrome”
Dyspnea
History
-
Duration of sx
- Chronic vs acute
-
Rate of onset
- Acute (mins-hrs), subacute (days-weeks), chronic (months-yrs)
-
Exposures
- Smoking, occupational, environmental
- Organic dust ⇒ allergic alveolitis
- Inorganic dust ⇒ pulmonary fibrosis
- Smoking, occupational, environmental
Acute Dyspnea
Causes
Subacute Dyspnea
Causes
Chronic Dyspnea
Causes
Exertional Dyspnea
Causes
-
Obstructive lung disease
- Exertion → ↑ RR → ↓ expiratory time
- Obstruction → ↓ expiratory flow
- Trapped air exerts pressure on lungs
-
Interstitial lung disease
- Exertion → ↑ HR
- ↓ Time for O2 to diffuse across diseased alveolar-capillary membrane
- Exercise-induced asthma
- CHF
-
Peripheral vascular disease
- Anaerobic threshold sooner → ↑ CO2 → dyspnea
Exertional Dyspnea
History
- Quantify amount of exertion → distance
- Rate of decline
- Severity
-
Timing/duration of sx
- During or after exercise
-
Associated symptoms
- CP, cough, edema
- Effect of position change
Orthopnea
Definition
Dyspnea in a recumbent position which is relieved by sitting up.
Orthopnea
Causes
-
CHF
- More fluid into the lungs
-
COPD
- Diaphragm works better when sitting up
- Diaphragm weakness
Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnea
Definition
Episodic dyspnea that awakens patient from sleep.
PND
Causes
-
CHF
- Shift of fluid from BLE ⇒ ↑ venous return to the heart ⇒ ↑ fluid in lungs
-
COPD
- Diaphragm works better upright
Platypnea
Definition
Dyspnea in the upright position which is relieved in a recumbent position.
Orthodeoxyplatypnea
Platypnea associated with positional hypoxia.
Platypnea
Causes
-
Right-to-left shunt
- Usually at the lung base
- Sitting up pulls more blood into the lower lung
- Liver disease
Trepopnea
Definition
Dyspnea in one lateral position but not the other.
Trepopnea
Causes
Seen in unilateral lung disease.
Ex. PNA
Good lung down ⇒ gravity improves ventilation and perfusion
Cough
Definition
Reflex initiated by stimulation of irritant airway receptors to expel secretions and irritants.