Respiratory Flashcards
What is asthma?
Chronic inflammatory condition characterised by exacerbations of bronchoconstriction (reversible airway obstruction).
Is asthma a restrictive or obstructive disease?
Obstructive.
What are risk factors for the development of asthma?
Family history, history of atopy, exposure to tobacco smoke, exposure to pollutants.
Give examples of asthma triggers.
Infection, exercise, animals, cold/damp, dust and strong emotions.
What are the clinical features of asthma?
Episodic symptoms of wheeze, dry cough, shortness of breath and chest tightness.
What is heard on auscultation in a person with asthma?
Bilateral widespread polyphonic wheeze.
What formal tests can be done in the diagnosis of asthma?
Spirometry with reversibility testing.
Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO).
Spirometry: What is FEV1?
Forced expiratory volume 1 is the volume of air exhaled at the end of the first second of forced expiration.
Spirometry: What is FVC?
Forced vital capacity is the volume of air exhaled after maximal expiration following full inspiration.
What are the typical results of spirometry in a person with asthma?
FEV1 significantly reduced.
FVC normal.
FEV1/FVC < 70%.
What are the results of spirometry in a person with asthma following reversibility testing?
FEV1 improvement of ≥ 12%.
Describe how FeNO test is used in the diagnosis of asthma.
Nitric oxide is produced by three types of nitric oxide synthases… one of which is inducible and levels tend to rise in inflammatory cells. The level of nitric oxide is measured.
What are the results of the FeNO test in a patient with asthma?
Adults ≥ 40 ppb.
Children ≥ 35 ppb.
Outline the six step asthma treatment ladder.
- SABA (salbutamol).
- ICS (beclometasone).
- LTRA (montelukast).
- LABA (salmeterol).
- MART.
- Theophylline.
Asthma: How do SABA/salbutamol work?
Relax smooth muscles of the airways.
Asthma: What is a potential side effect of SABA?
Fine tremor.
When should asthma management progress beyond SABA?
Using salbutamol inhaler more than twice per week.
Asthma: What are side effects of ICS (in adults and children)?
Oral candidiasis. Stunted growth (children).
What is acute asthma?
The rapid worsening of asthma symptoms as a result of a trigger (infection, exercise, cold weather, allergens).
What is the presentation of acute asthma?
Breathlessness, wheeze, dry cough and chest tightness.
What is heard on auscultation in acute asthma?
Symmetrical expiratory wheeze with reduced air entry throughout.
How is the severity of acute asthma graded?
Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR).
What is the PEFR in moderate acute asthma?
50-75% of best/predicted.
What are the characteristics of an episode of severe asthma attack?
PEFR 33-50% of best/predicted.
Pulse rate >110.
Respiratory rate >25.
Too breathless to complete sentences.
What are the characteristics of an episode of life-threatening asthma attack?
PEFR < 33% of predicted. Oxygen saturations < 92%. Silent chest. Poor respiratory effort. Altered consciousness. Cyanosis.
What are the initial findings on ABG in acute asthma?
Respiratory alkalosis as tachypnoea leads to a fall in carbon dioxide.
How may ABG results show deterioration in an episode of acute asthma?
If pCO2 is normal or there is hypoxia = concerning (patient is tiring).
If there is respiratory acidosis = very concerning.
What is the management of moderate acute asthma?
Give oxygen. Nebulised 5mg salbutamol. Nebulised ipratropium bromide. Steroids (e.g. intravenous hydrocortisone). Antibiotics (if infection suspected).
What is the management of severe acute asthma?
Moderate management +
Intravenous aminophylline.
Intravenous salbutamol.
What is the management of life-threatening acute asthma?
Severe management +
Intravenous magnesium sulphate.
ICU and intubation.
What is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?
Progressive obstructive lung disease characterised by long-term breathing problems with poor airflow.
What is the most common cause of COPD?
Smoking (typically a 20 pack-year history).
Suggest two causes (other than smoking) of COPD.
Air pollution (wood combustion, cooking fires). Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.
Describe the pathophysiology of COPD.
Long-term exposure to irritants causes an inflammatory response in the lungs, resulting in a narrowing of the small airways and breakdown of lung tissue. Damage causes obstruction to the flow of air making the lungs more difficult to ventilate.
What are the clinical features of COPD?
Dyspnoea, breathlessness, productive cough, wheeze and a history of recurrent respiratory infections.
Describe how breathlessness progresses over the disease-course of COPD.
Breathlessness is initially on exertion but later becomes chronic. Everyday activities (getting dressed) become more difficult.
How is a diagnosis of COPD made?
Based on clinical presentation + lung function testing (spirometry) which demonstrates a FEV1/FVC ratio of < 0.7
What spirometry results classify COPD into stage 1 (mild)?
FEV1/FVC < 0.7
FEV1 > 80% of predicted
What spirometry results classify COPD into stage 2 (moderate)?
FEV1/FVC < 0.7
FEV1 50-79% of predicted
What spirometry results classify COPD into stage 3 (severe)?
FEV1/FVC < 0.7
FEV1 30-49% of predicted
What spirometry results classify COPD into stage 4 (very severe)?
FEV1/FVC < 0.7
FEV1 < 30% of predicted
In COPD what is demonstrated by spirometry following bronchodilator therapy / reversibility testing?
Obstructive picture does not show a dramatic response with beta-2 agonists, unlike in asthma.
What is found on chest x-ray in an individual with COPD?
Hyperinflation.
Bullae.
Flat hemidiaphragm.
What may FBC reveal in patients with COPD?
Polycythaemia (raised Hb).
Why do some patients with COPD have polycythaemia?
Increased haemoglobin is a response to chronic hypoxia.
What are the initial steps (lifestyle) in the management of COPD?
Encourage immediate smoking cessation, offer nicotine replacement therapy.
What vaccinations should be offered to people with COPD?
Annual influenza vaccine.
One-off pneumococcal vaccine.
What is the first-line pharmacological management of COPD?
Salbutamol (SABA). Ipratropium bromide (SAMA).
What is the pharmacological management of COPD following SABA and SAMA use?
Determine whether patient is steroid-responsive. If not give salmeterol (LABA) + tiotropium (LAMA). If steroid-responsive give salmeterol (LABA) + beclometasone (ICS).
Give examples of additional pharmacological management options in COPD.
Oral theophylline.
Oral mucolytic (carbocisteine)
Prophylactic azithromycin.
Long-term oxygen therapy.
What are the most common causes of infective exacerbations of COPD?
Haemophilus influenzae.
Streptococcus pneumoniae.
What are the clinical features of exacerbations of COPD?
Worsening dyspnoea, cough, wheeze and an increase in sputum production.
How are arterial blood gasses used in the management of exacerbations of COPD?
Determine the presence/extent of carbon dioxide retainment, hypoxia and respiratory failure.
COPD: What is indicated by low pH and raised pCO2 on ABG?
Respiratory acidosis.
COPD: What is indicated by raised bicarbonate on ABG?
Chronic retainment of CO2… kidneys have responded by increasing bicarbonate production to maintain a normal pH.
COPD: What is indicated by low pO2 on ABG?
Hypoxia and respiratory failure.
COPD: What is indicated by low pO2 and normal pCO2 on ABG?
Type 1 respiratory failure.
COPD: What is indicated by low pO2 and raised pCO2 on ABG?
Type 2 respiratory failure.
What are the risks of giving a patient with COPD too much oxygen?
Too much oxygen can suppress the patients respiratory drive, slowing their breathing rate and leading to more CO2 retention.
What are the target oxygen saturations for a patient with COPD retaining CO2?
88-92%.
What is the pharmacological management of an exacerbation of COPD?
Increase SABA use. Consider nebuliser. Oral prednisolone. Antibiotics. Mucolytics (carbocisteine).
What is non-invasive ventilation?
An alternative to intubation that involves placing a tight fitting mask on the face to forcefully blow air into the lungs… supporting the lungs in respiratory failure due to obstructive disease.
What are the two types of non-invasive ventilation?
BiPAP.
CPAP.
Describe BiPAP.
Bilevel positive airway pressure involves a cycle of high and low pressure that corresponds to the patient’s inspiration and expiration.
When is BiPAP used?
Type 2 respiratory failure (e.g. in COPD).
What are the criteria for initiation of BiPAP?
Respiratory acidosis (pH < 7.35, pCO2 > 6).
What are the names of the two pressures that compose BiPAP?
Inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP).
Expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP).
What is the function of EPAP in BiPAP?
Pressure during expiration to prevent airway collapse and allow air to escape the lungs.
Describe CPAP.
Continuous positive airway pressure involves continuous flow of air into the lungs to maintain airway expansion so air can travel in and out easier.
When is CPAP used?
Obstructive sleep apnoea
Congestive cardiac failure
Acute pulmonary oedema