Respiratory Flashcards
What causes type 1 respiratory failure?
Lung fails to fill properly
What are the blood gas values for T1 respiratory failure?
- O2 = low
- CO2 = low/ normal
What mechanisms/ conditions can cause type 1 respiratory failures (3)?
- Low ambient O2 (e.g. high altitude)
- V/Q mismatch (e.g. PE)
- Diffusion problem (e.g. pneumonia, ARDS)
How is type 1 respiratory failure often treated?
Oxygen alone
What is type 2 respiratory failure?
Lung fails to remove CO2 properly
What are the blood gas values for T2 respiratory failure?
- O2 = low
- CO2 = high
What mechanisms/ conditions can cause type 2 respiratory failure (2)?
- Airway resistance (e.g. COPD, asthma)
- Decrease in gas exchange area (e.g. chronic bronchitis)
How is type 2 respiratory failure often treated?
BiPAP (bi +ve airway pressure) + oxygen
What is COPD?
Lung tissue damage causing an obstruction to airflow through the lungs, making them more difficult to ventilate
What are the two types of COPD?
- Emphysema
- Chronic bronchitis
What are some risk factors/ causes of COPD?
- Smoking
- Air pollution
- Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency (A1AT)
What mechanisms cause chronic bronchitis?
- Hypertrophy/plasia mucous glands –> hypersecretion of mucous
- Chronic inflammatory cells (in bronchi/oles) –> luminal narrowing
What defines chronic bronchitis?
Chronic productive cough for 3 months or more per year for 2 years
What is the mechanism in which emphysema causes respiratory failure?
Destruction of elastin in respiratory bronchiole + alveolar walls –> walls collapse and trap air distal to blockage
What is a large air sac that can form in the lungs as a result of emphysema called?
Bullae
What are the three main types of emphysema?
- Centriacinar emphysema (resp bronchioles ONLY)
- Panacinar (resp bronchioles, alveoli sac BOTH)
- Distal acinar (alveoli sac ONLY)
How is A1AT deficiency inherited?
Autosomal co-dominance
How does A1AT deficiency cause pathology?
Alpha 1 antitrypsin degrades elastase in neutrophils (elastase degrades elastin), therefore A1AT deficiency = more elastin degradation
What are the signs/ symptoms of COPD (4)?
- Chronic cough
- Shortness of breath
- Recurrent resp infections
- Lots of mucous production
What are 2 presentations, one typical of emphysema one typical of chronic bronchitis?
- Chronic bronchitis = blue bloater
- Emphysema = pink puffer
What scale can be used to measure the level of dyspnoea in those with COPD?
MRC dyspnoea scale:
* 1 = breathless with strenuous exercise …
* … 5 = can’t even leave the house
What is not usually present in COPD (in terms of symptoms)?
Haemoptysis
What investigations are done for COPD (5)?
- Pulmonary function test spirometry
- DLCO test
- High expired NO = lung damage
- Genetic testing
- ECG, ABG, Xray
What would spirometry results show in COPD?
FEV1:FVC < 0.7 (= obstructive respiratory failure)
How is COPD and asthma differentiated between?
Give bronchodilator, if FEV1 increases by more than 12% then diagnosis is likely asthma
What is DLCO test?
Diffuse capacity of CO across the lung
How is COPD treated medically?
- 1st line = SAB2A (short acting beta 2 agonist) or SAM3A
- 2nd line = add LAB2A and LAM3A
- 3rd line = inhaled corticosteroids
What can be given to people with very severe COPD?
Long term oxygen therapy
What is given to patients with COPD to prevent infection?
Influenza + pneumococcal vaccine
What is a complication of COPD?
Acute inflammation of lungs associated with infection
What can an acute exacerbation of COPD lead to?
High CO2 levels due to V/Q mismatch –> respiratory acidosis
What is an example of a SABA inhaler?
Salbutamol (albuterol)
Give an example of a SAMA inhaler?
Ipratropium
Give an example of a LABA + LAMA combined inhaler?
Anoro
Give an example of a LABA?
Salmeterol
Give an example of a LAMA?
Tiotropium
Give an example of a LABA + LAMA + ICS combination inhaler?
Trimbow (brand name don’t need to know this actually)
How is an acute exacerbation of COPD treated?
Nebulised salbutamol + ipratropium
O2 saturation target = 88-92%
With ICS
What is asthma?
Chronic, but reversible obstruction/ constriction of the airways
What are the two types of asthma and their prevalence?
- Allergic (70%)
- Non-allergic (30%)
What are some common triggers for allergic asthma (3)?
- Pollen
- Dust
- Mould
When do allergic and non allergic asthma tend to present?
- Allergic = earlier in life
- Non-allergic = later in life
What has been associated with/ is thought may cause allergic and non-allergic asthma?
- Allergic = hygiene hypothesis, genetics
- Non-allergic = smoking
What are some general triggers for asthma (4)?
- Infection (esp. viral)
- Cold weather
- Exercise
- Drugs (Bb, aspirin)
What is the atopic triad?
- Asthma
- Atopic rhinitis (hay fever)
- Eczema
What 3 conditions/ symptoms have been associated in another triad linked to asthma?
Samters triad:
* Nasal polyps
* Asthma
* Aspirin sensitivity
What is the pathophysiology/ mechanism which causes bronchoconstriction/ inflammation in asthma?
- Over-expression of T-helper 2 cells exposed to tigger
- Cytokines release (esp IL 4,5)
- IL4 –> IgE release –> mast cell degranulation –> histamine + leukotrienes
- IL5 –> Eosinophil recruitment –> leukotrienes
- Bronchial constriction + mucous hypersecretion
What happens to the airways when asthma repeatedly occurs?
Chronic remodelling
* Decreased lumen size (scarring)
* Increased mucous production
What are the symptoms of asthma?
Bilateral episodic wheeze/ cough worse at night
How is asthma investigated (2)?
- Mucous microscopy
- Spirometry
What can be seen in asthma mucous sample (2)?
- Curschmann spirals - spiral shaped mucous plugs (from gland ducts)
- Charcot-leyton crystals - proteins from eosinophils
What can be used to determine the severity of an asthma episode?
Peak expiratory flow (PEF)
can be moderate, severe, life threatening, fatal
How can spirometry be used to diagnose asthma?
- FEV1:FVC < 0.7
and - Bronchodilator reversible > 12% FEV1 increase
The presence of what in the expired air can indicate inflammation?
High proportion NO
How is asthma treated?
- SABA
- ICS
- LTRA
- LABA
- Increase ICS
What is important to check the patient is doing correctly when treating asthma?
Inhaler technique + compliance
What is LTRA?
Leukotrene receptor antagonist
Give an example of a LTRA inhaler?
Montelukast
How is an exacerbation of asthma treated?
- O2
- SABA nebulised
- ICS (hydrocortisone)
- IV MgSO4 (bronchodilator)
- IV theophylline (bronchodilator)
-
Escalate
**OSHITME
What can also be given to people with an exacerbation of asthma?
- BIPAP
- Antibiotics (if infection)
What are the 3 classes of lung cancer?
- Mesothelioma
- Small cell lung cancer
- Non-small cell lung cancer
What are 4 types of non-small cell lung cancer?
- Adenocarcinoma = most common
- Squamous
- Carcinoid
- Large cell
What is the main risk factor for mesothelioma?
Asbestos exposure
Who is most commonly affected by mesotheliomas?
Males (40-70)
What are the general signs/ symptoms of mesothelioma (3)?
- Weight loss
- Night sweats/ pain
- TATT
What are the lung signs/ symptoms of mesothelioma (5)?
- SoB
- Cough
- Pleuritic chest pain
- Haemoptysis
- Hoarse voice
How is mesothelioma investigated (3) - (clue = something weird)?
- Xray + CT
- CA-125 antigen (general tumour marker)
- Biopsy = diagnostic
How is mesothelioma treated?
Mostly palliative care as VERY aggressive
Where do small and non-small cell lung cancers form in?
Parenchyma lung
What are some risk factors for lung cancer (not including mesotheliomas), (5)?
- Asbestos
- Smoking
- Coal
- Radiation
- Other lung conditions
What are some symptoms of lung cancer (9)?
- SoB
- Weight loss
- Hoarse voice
- Haemoptysis
- Cough
- Chest pain
- TATT
- Night sweats/ pain
- Finger clubbing
What usually causes finger clubbing?
Chronically low blood oxygen levels
What are two extra pulmonary manifestations of lung tumours caused by them pressing on structures?
- Horners syndrome
- Superior vena cava obstruction
What is horners syndrome and what causes it (3 things)?
Tumour pressing on sympathetic ganglion –> ptosis, miosis (pupil constriction), anhidrosis (no sweat)
How does a SVC obstruction present and what is this sign called?
Pemberton’s sign - swollen congested face
What percentage of lung cancers (not mesothelioma) are SCLCs?
15%
What is a paraneoplastic syndrome?
A syndrome that is the consequence of a tumour in the body
What are some paraneoplastic syndromes caused by an SCLC (3)?
- SIADH
- Cushings
- Lambert-eaton syndrome (nmj autoimmune disorder)
Where do SCLCs originate from?
Neuroendocrine cells in lung
Where do squamous NSCLCs originate from?
Lung epithelium
What do squamous NSCLCs sometimes secrete?
PTH
Where do adenocarcinoma NSCLCs originate from?
Mucous secreting glandular epithelial cells
Where do carcinoid lung tumours originate from?
Neuroendocrine cells (like SCLC) - sometimes secrete serotonin
What gene mutations are carcinoid tumours associated with (2)?
- MEN 1 mutation
- Neurofibromatosis 1
Where do carcinoid tumours also form?
GIT
How are lung cancers investigated (3)?
- CT/ xray
- Bronchoscopy + biopsy
- MRI (for staging - TNM)
How are lung cancers treated?
- Surgery (for less aggressive NSCLC)
- Chemo/radio therapy
What is a monoclonal antibody therapy used for lung cancers called that is anti epidermal growth factor called?
Cetuximab
What are 2 risk factors for pulmonary embolism?
- Anything affecting virchows triad
- Family history
How does a PE affect alveolar-arterial gradient?
Increases gradient as more oxygen in alveoli compared to arteries
How is V/Q of the lungs affected in a PE?
Ventilation with no perfusion = dead space
Perfusion without ventilation = shunt
How do the lungs respond to the VQ mismatch found in PEs?
Bronchoconstriction to the areas of dead space
What are 2 typical presentations for a PE?
- Female uni student on contraception pill returns from Japan
- Older man had surgery 6 weeks ago and hasn’t been able to move
What are the signs/ symptoms of a PE (7)?
- Tachypnoea + dyspnoea
- Haemoptysis
- High JVP
- Tachycardia
- Evidence of DVT
- Pleuritic chest pain
- Cough
What score is used to asses the likelihood of a PE?
Wells score
How should a PE be investigated (3)?
- D-dimer test
- CT PA
- V/Q scan (if really impaired)
When should each of these tests be carried out for a PE?
- If wells score < 4 –> d-dimer
- If wells score > 4 or d-dimer +ve –> CTPA or V/Q scan
What ECG signs are seen in those with PE (5)?
- Deep S waves (lead 1)
- Deep Q waves (lead 3)
- Inverted T wave (lead 3)
S1Q3T3 - RBBB
- Tachycardia
What is a massive PE?
Systolic BP < 90mmHg
How is a haemodynamically stable PE treated (2)?
- DOACs = 1st line (rivaroxiban, apixaban); (LMWH if contraindicated)
- Warfarin = 2nd line
How is a haemodynamically unstable PE treated (2)?
- Thrombolysis (alteplase)
- Catheter embolectomy
What is pneumonia?
Inflammation and fluid exudation into lung parenchyma, due to infection
How is pneumonia classified in terms of where it develops (2)?
- Community acquired pneumonia
- Hospital acquired pneumonia
What defines hospital acquired pneumonia?
Developed > 48 hours after hospital admission
What are the two most common bacterial causes of pneumonia?
- S. pneumoniae (most common)
- H. influenzae
What is atypical pneumonia?
Pneumonia that cannot be cultured in the normal way or detected using gram staining
Give 2 examples of atypical pneumonia?
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae
- Legionella pneumoniae
How are atypical pneumonias usually treated?
Clarithomycin (as penicillin resistant)