Respiratory Flashcards
Define pneumonia
Infection of the lung tissue, causes inflammation of the lung and sputum filling airways and alveoli
Common types of pneumonia
Hospital acquired
Community acquired
Aspiration
History of pneumonia
Shortness of breath
Cough productive of sputum
Fever
Haemoptysis
Pleuritic chest pain
Delirium
Sepsis
Clinical signs of pneumonia
Tachypnoea
Tachycardia
Hypoxia
Hypotension
Fever
Confusion
Bronchial breath sounds - harsh sounds
Focal coarse crackles
Dullness to percussion
Severity assessment in pneumonia
CURB65
Confusion
Urea > 7
Resp rate >30
Blood pressure <90 systolic
Age >65
0/1 - treat at home
>2 admit
>3 intensive care
Common causative organisms
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Haemophilus influenza
Define atypical pneumonia
Pneumonia caused by an organism that cannot be culture in the normal way or detected using gram stain - legionella
Where are you likely to get legionella pneumophila from
Infected water or air conditioning units - can cause SIADH
Signs of mycoplasma pneumoniae
Erythema multiforme - target lesions
May also see neurological signs
Investigations in pneumonia
CXR
FBC
UE
CRP
Sputum
Blood cultures - atypical screening
Define FEV1
Forced expiratory volume in 1 second - amount of air that can be forcibly exhaled in 1 second
Define FVC
Forced vital capacity - the total amount of air that can be forcibly exhaled
FEV1 and FVC in obstructive disease
FEV1 is less than 75% of FVC - ratio <75
FEV1 and FVC in restrictive disease
FEV1 and FVC both reduced - ratio >75
Examples of obstructive disease
Asthma - reversible
COPD
Examples of restrictive disease
Interstitial lung disease
Neurological - MND
Scoliosis or chest deformity
Obesity
Define peak flow rate
The fasted expiratory flow of air possible - useful measure of control in obstructive lung disease
Define asthma
Chronic inflammatory condition of the airways that causes episodic exacerbations of bronchoconstriction.
History of asthma
Episodic symptoms
Diurnal variability - worse at night
Dry cough
Wheeze
Shortness of breath
Atopic conditions
FH
Clinical signs of asthma
Bilateral widespread polyphonic wheeze
Reversibility with brochodilators
Investigations of asthma
Spirometry with reversibility testing
Peak flow
Management of asthma
SABA - salbutamol
ICS -
LABA - salmeterol
LAMA - tiotropium
Leukotriene receptor antagonists - montelukast
Define acute asthma exacerbation
Characterised by rapid deterioration in symptoms trigged by any of the typical triggers
Grading of asthma severity as moderate
PEFR - 50-75%
Grading of asthma severity as severe
PEFR - 33 - 50%
RR > 25
HR >110
Unable to complete sentences
Grading of acute asthma as life-threatening
PEFR <33
O2 <92
Becoming tired
No wheeze - silent chest, so tight no air entry
Hamodynamic instability
Management of moderate acute asthma exacerbation
Nebulised salbutamol
Nebulised ipratropium
Steroids - oral pred continued for 5 days
Abx if infection
Management of severe acute asthma exacerbation
Moderate management +
Oxygen
Aminophylline infusion
Consider IV salbutamol