Respi week: Respiratory emergencies Flashcards
List indications for non-invasive ventilation
- acute exacerbation of COPD with respiratory acidosis
- respiratory failure secondary to obesity hypoventilation syndrome
- respiratory failure from underlying neuromuscular weakness (MND)
- weaning after invasive ventilation
What are NOT indications for non-invasive ventilation
- pneumonia
- severe asthma
- bronchiectasis
What would PE present with
- acute dyspnoea
- pleuritic chest pain
- cough
- haemoptysis
- raised JVP
- tachycardia (>100bpm), hypoxia, fever, DVT, tricuspid regurgitation
What does d-dimer test for
Used for diagnosis of thrombosis (e.g. for PE)
What does troponin test for
Raised if RV strain
Common causes of haemoptysis
- bronchial tumour
- bronchiectasis
- TB
- pneumonia
- PE
- bronchitis
Common causes of massive haemoptysis
- TB
- bronchiectasis
- lung abscess
- maligancy
What is the difference between primary and secondary pneumothorax
Primary: occurs in apparently normal lungs
Secondary: occurs in lungs with underlying disease
How does pneumothorax present during examination
- reduced expansion
- hyper-resonant percussion
- reduced breath sounds
Why is a tension pneumothorax potentially fatal
- Increased pressure in pleural cavity
- Compression of lungs/mediastinum
- Inhibited venous return
- Hypotension
- Cardiac arrest
How does tension pneumothorax present on examination
- acute respiratory distress
- hypotension
- raised JVP
- reduced air entry on affected side
- cardiac arrest
How does tension pneumothorax present in CXR
- tracheal deviation AWAY from pneumothorax
- reduced air entry on affected side
What group of people tend to have higher risk factor for spontaneous pneumothorax?
- tall
- fit
- male
What other conditions to test for in an unprovoked PE
- cancer
- thrombophilia
What is a respiratory-related cause of unresolved tachycardia
Pulmonary embolism
other vascular problems eg DVT also possible
