Resp Flashcards
Define vital capacity
Volume of air expired from the lungs from a maximal inspiration using a slow/relaxed manoeuvre
Define forced vital capacity
Volume of air that can be forcible expelled from the lungs from a position of maximal inspiration
Define forced expiratory volume
volume of air forcibly expelled from the lungs in the first second - following maximal inspiration
Pathophysiology of anaphylaxis
Sensitised individual exposed to specific antigen
Immunological response:
– IgE → antigen → mast cell & basophils ‡ → histamine ↑ → body response
Features of anaphylaxis
Uritus, urticaria & angioedema, hoarseness, progressing to stridor & bronchial obstruction, wheeze & chest tightness from bronchospasm
Management of anaphylaxis
DO NOT DELAY! GET HELP
• Remove trigger, maintain airway, 100% O2
• IM adrenaline 0.5 mg
(Repeat every 5 mins as needed to support CVS)
• IV hydrocortisone 200mg
• IV chlorpheniramine 10 mg
• If hypotensive: lie flat and fluid resuscitate
• Treat bronchospasm: NEB salbutamol
• Laryngeal oedema: NEB adrenaline
monitor for secondary deterioration; advice about epipens and wearing medic alert braclet
arrange f/u in clinic
Severity of asthma exacerbations
Mild:
• No features of severe asthma
• PEFR >75%
Moderate:
• No features of severe asthma
• PEFR 50-75%
Severe (if any one of the following):
• PEFR 33 – 50% of best or predicted
• Cannot complete sentences in 1 breath (or unable to feed/talk in children)
• Respiratory Rate > 25/min (2y/o - >40; >5; >30)
• Heart Rate >110/min (2y/o - >140; >5; >125)
Life threatening (if any one of the following):
• PEFR < 33% of best or predicted
• Sats <92% or ABG pO2 < 8kPa
• Cyanosis, poor respiratory effort, near or fully silent
chest
• Exhaustion, confusion, hypotension or arrhythmias
• Normal pCO2
Near Fatal:
• Raised pCO2
Acute asthma attack management
ABCDE
Oxygen - aim 94-98%
Salbutamol 5mg NEB (repeat after 15 min) - 2.5-5 if <11y/o
Hydrocortisone 100mg IV (or prednisolone 40mg PO)
(>2 = 20mg)
Ipratropium bromide 500mcg (250mcg in children) NEB
Theophyilline (IV amionophylline)
Magnesium sulphate
Escalate care - ITU
Consider IV salbutamol
Life threatening - portable CXR
Features of an infective COPD exacerbation
Change in sputum volume / colour
Fever
Raised WCC +/- CRP
Management of COPD exacerbation
Oxygen - 24-28% fixed performance face mask. AIm sats 88-92% Antibiotics (if infective) Salbutamol NEB Ipratropium NEB Steroids - prednisolone 30mg STAT and 7d
Consider IV aminophyline
Consider NIV if pH <7.35
ITU if pH <7.25
CURB -65
C Confusion, MMT 2 or more points worse
U Urea > 7.0
R >30/min
B < 90 mm Hg systolic or < 60 mm Hg diastolic 65 Age above 65 years
Treatment of pneumonia
ABCDE
If any features of sepsis – immediately treat using sepsis pathway – NO DELAY in initiating IV antibiotics and fluids
-ABx as per CURB-65 score, local pneumonia guidelines and awareness of any patient drug allergies
- analgiea; PT
CURB SCORE - amoxicillin <1 - home rx; 2 - hospital
- Co-Amoxiclav IV 1.2g tds and Doxycycline PO –> rx; 3 - itu or HAP
Features of pneumonia
Consolidation on CXR with fever +/- purulent sputum +/ raised WCC and / or CRP
- May have malaise; dyspnoea; cough; pleuritic pain
Signs - tachypnoea; tachycardia; cyanosis; confusion; consolidation( reduced expansion; dull percussion; bronchial breathing; reduced air entry; crackles; pleural rub)
Classification of massive haemoptysis
> 240mls in 24 hours OR >100mls / day over consecutive days
Management of massive haemoptysis
• ABCDE
• Lie patient on side of suspected lesion (if known) • Oral Tranexamic Acid for 5 days or IV
• Stop NSAID’s / aspirin / anticoagulants
• Antibiotics if any evidence of respiratory tract
infection
• Consider Vitamin K
• CT aortogram – interventional radiologist may be able to undertake bronchial artery embolisation
Features of pneumothorax +/- tension
- sudden onset dyspnoea, pleuritic chest pain which reduced chest expansion and breath sounds and resonant percussion
TENSION
o hypotension
o tachycardia
o deviation of the trachea away from the side of
the pneumothorax
o Mediastinal shift away from pneumothorax
Management of tension pneumothorax
- ABCDE (no CXR)
- Large bore intravenous cannula into 2nd ICS MCL
- Chest drain into the affected side (0.9% saline-water seal)
Symptoms and signs of PE
Sx – Chest pain (pleuritic) – SOB – Syncope – Haemoptysis – Massive --> RHF - hypotension, raised JVP, loud P2, +/- cardiac arrest
Signs
- fever, cyanosis, tachycardia, tachypnoea, evidence of DVT
Risk factors for PE
Thrombopillia/ antiphospholipid syndrome Hx PE/VTE Recent travel Obstetric - pregnancy/ OCP Malignancy Break lower limb/ varicose veins Old age Surgery / smoking Immobility Sex (F)
Management of PE
A - sit up and 100% oxygen
B - CXR (exclude pleural effusion/ consolidation)
C - ECG, bloods (Trop, FBC, U+E, Clotting, D-Dimer), ABG
D -
E -
• Fluid resuscitation (if hypotensive), analgesia +/- anti-emetic
• Thrombolysis should be considered if a massive PE
is confirmed on Echo or CT scan ( IV Alteplase) –> senior!
• LMWH and Ted Stockings
Wells score
<4 –> if D-dimer -ve - exclude; if +ve –> CTPA
>4 –> CTPA
Ongoing - Graduated compression stockings for 2 years if sign of DVT; Start warfarin -3m if known cause; 6m if unknown
ECG –> T wave inversion, AF, RBBB, RAD –> ?S1Q3T3
Absolute thrombolysis contraindications
Haemorrhagic stroke or Ischaemic stroke < 6 months CNS neoplasia Recent trauma or surgery GI bleed < 1 month Bleeding disorder Aortic Dissection
Relative thrombolysis contraindications
Warfarin
Pregnancy
Advanced Liver Disease
Infective Endocarditis
Complications of thrombolysis
- Bleeding
- Hypotension
- Intracranial haemorrhage / stroke
- Reperfusion arrhythmias
- Systemic embolisation of thrombus
- Allergic reaction
Pathophysiology of asthma
Airway epithelial damage – shedding and subepithelial fibrosis, basement membrane thickening
• An inflammatory reaction characterised by eosinophils, T-lymphocytes (Th2) and mast cells. Inflammatory mediators released include histamine, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins
• Cytokines amplify inflammatory response
• Increased numbers of mucus secreting goblet cells
and smooth muscle hyperplasia and hypertrophy
• Mucus plugging in fatal and severe asthma