resp Flashcards
21 y/o male normally fit n well dry cough breathless no chest pain looks blue
possible diagnoses?
any other info needed?
asthma pneumonia pulmonary embolism pneumothorax heart failure
- full Hx
- explore in depth (onset, timing, variation, severity, exacerbating/relieving, associated symptoms)
- PMH, FH, DH
- SH (occupation, travel)
- exam findings
list some lung function tests
spirometry
lung volumes
transfer factor (lol tf is this?)
mouth pressures ?
list some radiological tests for resp
plain XR
CT
US
CMR/MRPA
ventilation/perfusion scan
what are some other resp tests?
objective assessment of function
bronchoscopy
thoracoscopy
oximetry
transcutaneous CO2 monitor
what is spirometry?
common office test used to assess how well your lungs work by measuring how much air you inhale/exhale and how quickly you exhale
what is the transfer factor test?
a test of the diffusing capacity of the lungs for CO (DLCO, also known as transfer factor for carbon monoxide or TLCO)
1 of the most clinically valuable tests of lung function …
measures the ability of the lungs to transfer gas from inhaled air to the RBC in pulmonary capillaries !
what is a CMR?
cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) scan
gives us info on the structure of your heart and BV & how well they’re working
what is MRPA?
magnetic reasoning pulmonary angiography
2nd line to CTPA
what is CTPA?
CT pulmonary angiography
what is thoracoscopy?
medical procedure involving internal exam, biopsy, and/or resection of disease or masses within the pleural/thoracic cavity
define T1 resp failure ! LOL :)
low PaO2
normal/low PaCO2
define T2 resp failure
low PaO2
high PaCO2
what is common btwn t1 and t2 resp failure
both have low PaO2
what is the diff btwn t1/t2 resp failure
t1 is normal/low co2
t2 is high co2
what is PAO2?
ALVEOLAR O2
what is PaO2?
arterial O2
is PAO2 higher usually or PaO2?
PAO2
bc PaO2 is closer to mixed venous air than it is to inspired
what is the alveolar-arterial gradient normally?
less than 2 kPa
list some causes of a raised A-a gradient (alveolar-arterial) gradient
hypoventilation
v/q mismatch
anaemia
diffusion limitation
shunt (R-L or L-R)
how do u calculate PAO2?
≈ FiO2(PATM – pH2O) – (PaCO2/RER)
if there’s a normal gradient but low PaO2 what does this mean?
PAO2 must be low
hypoventilation
reduced FiO2 (or PATM)
what is ambient hypoxia
eg at altitude
NB: ambient = relating to the immediate surroundings of something
what can ambient hypoxia lead to?
widespread HPV
increasing pulmonary artery pressure
can (rarely) lead to pulmonary oedema
when does high altitude pulmonary oedema happen?
2-3d after ascent
how do u treat high altitude pulmonary oedema
descent
oxygen
pulmonary vasodilaotors
where does gas exchange begin?
bronchi, terminal bronchioles, respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts OR alveoli?
respiratory bronchioles
what is the path of air from trachea to alveoli?
trachea
main bronchus
segmental bronchus
bronchioles
terminal bronchioles
respiratory bronchioles
?alveolar ducts
?alveoli
list 5 functions of the lungs
gas exchange
acid-base balance
defence
hormones
heat exchange
what are diff aspects of the defence mechanisms in the lung?
mucosal barrier mast cells macrophages mucociliary clearance cough reflex
what kind of a disease is CF
single gene
what is the commonest monogenic recessive disorder
cystic fibrosis
what happens in CF? (6)
abnormal ion transport (Cl-)
impaired mucociliary clearance
recurrent and chronicinfections
impaired digestion
fertility problems
liver disease, diabetes
if FEV1/FVC ratio is < 0.7 (70%)
what is it? obstructive or restrictive?
obstructive
if FEV1/FVC ratio is <0.8
what is it? obstructive or restrictive?
restrictive
if there is an airways problem, is it obstructive or restrictive?
what is the FEV1/FVC ratio?
obstructive
FEV1/FVC ratio <0.7
what is lung parenchyma?
portion of the lung involved in gas transfer
- the alveoli
- alveolar ducts
- respiratory bronchioles
if there’s a problem w the lung parenchyma (alveoli/ducts/resp bronchioles) is it restrictive or obstructive?
what is the FEV1/FVC ratio?
restrictive
FEV1/FVC ratio normal
if there’s a problem with the chest wall/pleura is it restrictive or obstructive?
restrictive
what is transfer factor aka
diffusing capacity
test that looks at eg if u breathe CO, how well it is perfused and so acts as a surrogate for oxygen
what happens with low (transfer factor) TLCO?
a test of the diffusing capacity of the lungs for CO (DLCO, also known as transfer factor for carbon monoxide or TLCO)
thickening of the alveolar-capillary membrane
reduced lung volumes
what happens with high (transfer factor) TLCO
a test of the diffusing capacity of the lungs for CO (DLCO, also known as transfer factor for carbon monoxide or TLCO)
increased capillary blood volume
pulmonary haemorrhage
which, nearly always, reduces (transfer factor) TLCO?
a test of the diffusing capacity of the lungs for CO (DLCO, also known as transfer factor for carbon monoxide or TLCO)
COPD
pulmonary fibrosis
does COPD reduce TLCO?
a test of the diffusing capacity of the lungs for CO (DLCO, also known as transfer factor for carbon monoxide or TLCO)
yes
does polcythaemia reduce TLCO?
a test of the diffusing capacity of the lungs for CO (DLCO, also known as transfer factor for carbon monoxide or TLCO)
no
does pulmonary fibrosis reduce TLCO?
a test of the diffusing capacity of the lungs for CO (DLCO, also known as transfer factor for carbon monoxide or TLCO)
yes
does asthma reduce TLCO?
a test of the diffusing capacity of the lungs for CO (DLCO, also known as transfer factor for carbon monoxide or TLCO)
no
does L-R inracardiac shunt reduce TLCO?
a test of the diffusing capacity of the lungs for CO (DLCO, also known as transfer factor for carbon monoxide or TLCO)
no
what is interstitial lung disease?
an umbrella term for a large group of disorders that cause scarring (fibrosis) of the lungs
what is sarcoidosis a part of?
interstitial lung disease (which is an umbrella term)
what are some causes of breathlessness?
mechanical interference
weakness of resp pump
increased resp drive
increased wasted ventilation
psychological dysfunction
what is dyspnea
SOB
list some examples of mechanical interference with ventilation (which can lead to SOB)?
obstruction to airflow
resistance to expansion of lungs (stiff lungs)
resistance to expansion of chest wall/diaphragm
asthma, emphysema, bronchitis
what can they lead to?
obstruction to airflow
fibrosis, LVF …
what can they lead to?
stiff lungs / resistance to expansion of lungs
pleural sickening, obesity, abdo mass …
what can they lead to?
resistance to expansion of chest wall/diaphragm
hypoxemia can lead to what?
metabolic acidosis can lead to what?
decreased cardiac output can lead to what?
increased respiratory drive
list some examples of things that may cause increased resp drive which can lead to SOB?
hypoxaemia
metabolic acidosis (renal disease, anaemia etC)
decreased CO
what can contribute to increased wasted ventilation
what might this result in?
capillary destruction eg emphysema/interstitial lung disease
large-vessel obstruction eg pulmonary emboli
SOB
what can contribute to increased wasted ventilation
what might this result in?
capillary destruction eg emphysema/interstitial lung disease
large-vessel obstruction eg pulmonary emboli
SOB
what can cause capillary destruction? what can this lead to?
emphysema, interstitial lung disease etc
causes increased wasted ventilation
which then can cause SOB
what is somatisation?
the manifestation of psychological distress by the presentation of physical symptoms
what are the 3 ways in which u can categorise lung disease?
- infection
- inflammation
- cancer
what does mouth pressure look at?
resp muscle weakness
if ur looking for a blood clot, what type of scan do u do?
CTPA
(CT pulmonary angiogram)
looks at pulmonary arteries
if ur looking for pleural fluid in the chest, what type of scan might u do?
ultrasound
if ppl have chronic pul hypertension, what are some tests used?
CMR
MRPA
what is an objective measure of SOB?
objective assessment of function
what are some practical non-radioactive procedureS?
bronchoscopy
thoracoscopy
if ur hypoventilating, what is co2 like?
normal or high
does anaemia affect oxygen tension?
no
but it does matter how much oxygen ur blood can take in total (capacity)
what is V/Q mismatch?
effectively R-L shunting
will a L-R shunt cause raised A-a gradient?
no, bc ur shunting oxygen in ur blood through ur lungs
what happens in asthma? (5)
increased irritability of bronchi causing spasm
paroxysmal attacks
overdistended lungs
mucus plugs in bronchi
enlarged bronchial mucous glands with excess secretions
what are the 2 broad clinical categories of asthma?
extrinsic and intrinsic
what are the 2+ types of extrinsic asthma
atopic = IgE/t1 hypersensitivity
occupational = t2 hypersensitivity
what is the barometric pressure like at high altitude?
lower
what is the PO2 like at high altitude (4000m) compared to sea-level?
≈60%
which of these is a well-recognised response to hypoxia?
a) bradycardia
b) atrial fibrillation
c) systemic vasoconstriction
d) pulmonary vasoconstriction
e) syncope
d) pulmonary vasoconstriction
if ur hypoxic, what happens systemically?
vasodilation
if ur hypoxic, what happens with pulmonary vessels?
vasoconstrict
so oxygen delivery is matched w/ oxygenation of alveoli
at high altitude, what do pulmonary vessels do?
vasoconstrict
has implications eg high altitude pulmonary oedema
WILL HIGH ALTITUDE PULMONARY OEDEMA COME UP ON THE EXAM
APPARENTLY NOT
“this will not come up in ur exam”
according to the lecturer
so I really wasted my time writing this huh
where does gas exchange begin?
respiratory bronchioles
what is the diff btwn small and large airways
small <2mm
large >2mm
what constitutes large airways?
>2mm
trachea
bronchi
bronchioles
what constitutes small airways?
<2mm
terminal bronchioles
resp bronchioles
alveolar ducts
alveolar sacs
what is the conducting zone of the resp pathway
trachea-bronchi-bronchioles-terminal bronchioles
what is the transitional and resp zone of the resp pathway
resp bronchioles-alveolar ducts-alveolar sacs
what breaks a breath hold?
raised CO2 in CSF!
central chemoreceptors sensing CO2 which diffuses readily across BBB and lowers CSF pH
which chemoreceptors respond to raised CO2 in CSF? central or peripheral?
central
what are central chemoreceptors sensitive to?
the pH of their environment
where are chemoreceptors OF THE CV system located?
carotid bodies
aortic bodies
where are carotid bodies located?
in carotid arteries than run through neck to brain
where are aortic bodies found?
aortic arch
what is an aortic body?
1 of several small clusters of peripheral chemoreceptors located along aortic arch
what are peripheral chemoreceptors?
extensions of PNS
repsond to changes in blood molecule conc (oxygen/CO2)
help maintain cardio-rest homeostasis
what is the diff btwn central and peripheral chemoreceptors
central - medullary chemoreceptors
peripheral - systemic arterial chemoreceptors in carotid/aortic bodies
why are central (medullary) chemoreceptors important?
mediate response to a rise in PaCO2
why are peripheral (arterial) chemoreceptors important?
essential for response to hypoxia/drop in blood pH (acidosis)
why are the lungs defence organs?
bc we inhale a lot of shit
what is the key genetic resp disorder?
CF
“CF IS IMPORTANT, MAY GET QUESTIONS ON IT IN THE EXAM”
…..hmmmmmmmm
remember to read over it!!!
what does the Bradford hill criteria look at?
causation
what does reduced FEV mean
reduction in amount of gas breathed out in a second
what is 1 of the key measures for obstructive lung disease
FEV
what does obstruction mean?
difficult to get air out
what does restriction mean?
difficult to get air in and out
wait…. what is TLCO again?
transfer factor bro
“bronchiectasis will probs come up in the context of infection”
LOOOOOL
what is the commonest site of infection
resp tract
approx how many resp tract infections do children/adults have ?
children: 2-5
adults: 1-2
define tonsilitis
infection of the tonsils
what is a sore throat aka
pharyngitis
what is inflammation of the trachea (spell it right too smh)
tracheitis
what is laryngitis
infection of the larynx
what is bronchiolitis
infection of small airways - bronchioles
what is inflammation of the pleura termed?
its often caused by an infection
pleurisy
what is bronchitis?
infection of large airways - bronchi
what is pneumonia?
infection of the alveoli and surroundinglung
the skin keeps everything in apart from what?
sweat
what is the urine systems defences against infection?
its sterile
urine flow is outwards
why are lungs prone to infection?
bc we need a v thin membrane for gas transfer
so there’s not much space for barriers or immune system or commensals
what are the sinuses like ?
sterile
what do u have in the upper resp tract?
commensal flora
help to some extent
20% of us can be colonised by what? in the resp tract
S aureus
u can be colonised in a way that’s not harmful to u, but can be harmful to others
:/ upper RT to 1 person can be meningitis in the next person
how are pathogens cleared via swallowing?
normal swallowing reflex, epiglottis
neuro (timing) and anatomical factors
what is vital abt lung anatomy?
ciliated epithelium (mucociliary escalator)
mucus
goblet cells btwn ciliated cells - prod mucus
cilia helps waft everything upwards into trachea, throat, cough/swallow etc
constantly clearing out gunk
deep down into final terminal acinus/alveoli .. what are the humeral n cellular factors?
soluble factors: Ig’s, defensives, collectins
alveolar macrophages (1st responders, security guards) keeping a look out
B & T cells
neutrophils if required
what makes u more susceptible to resp infection?
swallowing can be affected by stroke/MND, surgery etc
altered lung physiology may be caused by CF, emphysema, bronchiectasis etc
OR extrinsic stuff like near problems, obesity, surgery
what is pneumonia?
infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs.
air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing.
if a pt has suspected pneumonia, what else do u look at?
How sick is the patient?
Should they be managed in hospital?
Does the patient need antimicrobials?
Is there an alternative diagnosis; Heart failure Pulmonary embolus Cancer TB Interstitial lung disease
what are DD for pneumonia?
HF pulmonar embolus cancer TB interstitial lung disease
what is hop avg for pneumonia
6-8 days
who’s at risk of pneumonia?
infants/elderly
COPD, other chronic lung
immunocompromised
nursing home residents
diabetes
congestive heart disease
alcohol/IVDU
what are symptoms of pneumonia?
fevers
sweats
rigors
(basically generic infection response)
cough, sputum
SOB
may get pleuritic chest pain (worse on deep breathing)
any sensation from inside lungs .. not pain .. feels like irritation - cough
lining of lung has nerve endings so can localise pain
hence pleuritic pain!
:)
hurts patient to take a big breath
don’t wanna cough, can’t aerate lungs
PAIN CONTROL IS V IMPORTANT IN PNEUMONIA TO HELP PPL GET BETTER!
what are some signs of pneumonia?
abnormal vital signs:
raised HR, raised RR
low BP
fever
dehydration
signs of lung consolidation:
- dull to percussion
- decreased air entry
- bronchial breath sounds
- ± hypoxia
what are some investigations for pneumonia?
CXR
FBC (WBC - marker of severity, diagnosis)
biochem (U&E, LFTs)
CRP (for diagnosis)
pulse oximetry (severity, if required, ABG for failure)
microbio tests
always check for what with pneumonia patients?
HIV
pneumonia is common in HIV patients
what are some indicators of pneumonia severitY?
Delerium = Confusion
Renal impairment = Urea rise
Increased oxygen demand -
Respiratory rate high
BP drop
????SEPSIS!
who is sepsis more likely in
those who’s physiology already impaired by age or comorbidity
what is CURB65?
mnemonic for pneumonia that predicts mortality!!!!! (higher score is higher mortality)
C - confusion U - urea ≥7mmol/L is bad R - resp rate ≥30/min B - BP; low A - age ≥65
generally, if someones sick?
broad spectrum
IV
what are disadvantages of using a multiple-AB (nuclear missile approach)
promotes AB resistance
side effects
AB associated diarrhoea etc
expensive
what are disadvantages/adv of using a “sniper” single, small AB approach?
Might miss
More tolerable
Saves other choices
Cheaper
what is the most common cause of pneumonia?
Streptococcus pneumoniae (40%)
also mycoplasma pneumonia (≈10% that peaks in epidemic seasons)
how do u treat S. pneumoniae
beta-lactam ABs; amoxicillin
if TB is suggestive, consider what?
acid fast bacilli stain
culture for TB
what is TB?
bacterial infection
spread through inhaling tiny droplets from the coughs/sneezes of an infected person.
mainly affects the lungs. but can affect any part of the body, including the glands/bones/NS
what is TB caused by
mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)
when are lung abscesses seen?
in aspiration
alcoholics often :(
how do u treat lung abscesses
prolonged ABs - for up to 6 weeks
may need surgical drainage
what is the diff btwn HAP and CAP
hospital acquired pneumonia
community acquired CAP
what is HAP
hosp acquired pneumonia
acquired min 48h after hosp admission
(elderly, post op etc)
diagnosis: new fever, new radiological findings, CRP incr, increasing oxygen requirements)
what is the gen principle for treatment for HAP?
‘start broad’
then ‘focus’ treatment
what happens in bronchiolitis?
inflammation of bronchioles/mucus production
causes airway obstruction
what are examples of sore throats
pharyngitis
tonsilitis
what are examples of a common cold
rhinitis
sinusitis
in healthy adults, w/ bronchitis, is bacteria often a cause?
nah, its rarely a cause in healthy adults
majority are viral, as those causing other infections of upper airways
what are some clinical features of bronchitis?
cough
SOB, wheeze
fever
systemic features of infection unusual - suggest flu/pneumonia
what are some investigations for bronchitis?
CVR to exclude pneumonia, usually normal
viral/bac throat swabs
serology 4 mycoplasma, chlamydia
what is the treatment for bronchitis?
none usually, bc its viral
little evidence for antimicrobials being helpful
what happens in asthma, pathology wise
bronchial obstruction
mucus plugging of bronchi
bronchial inflammation
bronchial wall smooth muscle hypertrophy
thickening of bronchial BM
what is intrinsic asthma associated with
recurrent chest infections
chronic bronchitis
not immune-mediated
what is the mechanism for aspirin induced asthma?
unknown
what is occupational asthma caused by?
work-associated inhaled agent
acts as either a non-specific stimulus
what can acute chronic localised obstruction progress to
bronchiectasis
what is classical for chronic obstruction?
centred on bronchi/bronchioles
‘obstructive’ pulmonary function tests
what happens in chronic bronchitis
productive cough for 3m in 2 consecutive years
mucus hyper secretion - bronchial mucous gland hypertrophy
tobacco smoking-induced mainly
some asthma effects
who does chronic bronchitis tend to affect
middle aged heavy smokers
some following chronic pollution
how does chronic bronchitis progress
often starts mild
severe;:
hypercapnia
hypoxaemia
cyanosis (blue bloaters)
coexisting emphysema (pink puffers)
what does blue bloater refer to?
generalised term referring to a person who is blue and overweight.
usually SOB and chronic cough.
old term - now recognised as severe chronic BRONCHITIS
what does pink puffer refer to?
generalized term for a person who is thin, breathing fast and is pink.
usually SOB and pursed lip breathing
old term - now recognised as as severe EMPHYSEMA
what happens in emphysema
alveolar airspaces enlarge
destruction of elastin in walls
frequent association with chronic bronchitis
what is emphysema?
permanent enlargement of airspaces distal to terminal bronchioles due to destruction of walls
(linked w cig smoking)
what is a major cause of cig smoking?
emphysema
what is emphysema a type of?
COPD
what happens in emphysema over time?
air sacs weaken and rupture - creating larger air spaces instead of many small ones.
what proportion of lung capacity is destroyed before symptoms of emphysema
1/3
what are clinical features of ‘pure’ emphysema
reduced PaCO2
normal PaO2
at rest
(due to overventilation - pink puffers)
also:
- weight loss bc metabolic demands
- RHF
- overinflated chest
- poor O2 delivery to tissues
define bronchiectasis
permanent dilatation of bronchi/bronchioles
what is permanent dilatation of bronchi/bronchioles termed?
bronchiectasis
which lung lobes are usually affected by bronchiectasis?
lower
what are symptoms of bronchiectasis
chronic cough
large quantities of foul-smelling sputum
flecked with blood sometimes
what are some complications of bronchiectasis?
pneumonia
fungal colonisation
emphysema
septicaemia
metastatic abscesses eg brain/heart
further necrosis/destruction of lung tissue leading to pulmonary fibrosis
summarise bronchiectasis (3)
results from bronchial obstruction w/ distal infection n scarring
destruction of bronchial and alveolar walls
dilatation of the airways
what happens in interstitial lung disease?
increased amount of lung tissue
increased stiffness n decreased compliance
is chronic interstitial disease fibrosis + or - ?
+
what is fibrosing alveolitis aka
idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
what happens in fibrosing alveolitis/idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ?
finger n toe clubbing
results in end-stage fibrosis (honeycomb lung)
unknown aetiology
what is pneumoconiosis?
lung disease caused by inhaled dust
what is sarcoidosis?
granulomatous disease affecting mainly lungs, but also LN in a greater freq
do more men or women get lung cancer
men
what proportion of all cancer deaths come from lung cancer
1/3
list some causes of lung cancer
cigarettes (majority)
- passive smoking = 2x normal
occupational eg asbestos
lung fibrosis
what are some symptoms of lung cancer?
cough
recurrent chest infections
haemoptysis (coughing up blood)
increasing SOB
general malaise
weight loss
what is haemoptysis?
coughing of blood
what is the most common lung cancer?
metastatic carcinoma
more common than primary lung carcinoma
what are lung cancers broadly divided into?
small cell lung carcinoma
non-small cell lung carcinoma
what is the spread of small cell lung carcinoma like at presentation?
usually has spread
what is the primary/standard treatment for small cell lung carcinoma?
chemotherapy
what is the primary/standard treatment for non-small cell lung carcinoma (large cell)?
surgery/radiotherapy
chemo may be offered
what are investigations for lung cancer?
cytology
histology
via sputum/biopsy etc
resp drug nomenclature: if it ends in “….mab” ????
Monoclonal AntiBody
resp drug nomenclature: if it ends in …sone/lone ?????
corticosteroid
resp drug nomenclature: if it ends in ….terol ????
bronchodilators
resp drug nomenclature: if it ends in ….nib ???
kinase INhiBitor
what is an example of a monoclonal antibody resp drug
reslizuMAB
what are 2 examples for corticosteroids resp drugs
dexamethaSONE
prednisoLONE
what is an example of a bronchodilator (resp) drug
salmeTEROL
what is an example of a kinase inhibitor resp drug
nintedaNIB
how are inhaled medicines delivered?
directly to the lung
via oral or nasal route
what do inhalers deliver
dry powder formulation
what do nebulisers deliver
medication in the form of aerosols
what are conducting airways like in terms of drugs?
smaller SA
lower regional blood flow
high filtering capacity (mucociliaryescpalator)
removes up to 90% of delivered drugs