Respiratory Flashcards
How can pH receptors monitor blood gas level
CO2 dissolved will form carbonic acid, the higher the conc the greater the blood acidity
Define asthma
episodic bronchoconstriction caused by inflammation
What can trigger an asthma attack?
(exacerbated by NSAIDS)
cold weather, air pollution, exercise, beta blockers, infections
Name the stepwise drug prevention in asthmatics
Reliever inhaler, preventative inhaler, Leukotriene receptor antagonist, MART (maintenance and reliever therapy)
What is the pharmacology behind the reliever inhaler?
Salbutamol, beta-2 angonist, relaxes smooth muscle to dilate airways
common side effect of salbutamol
systemic action of muscle dilation can cause palpitations
Describe pharmacology behind the preventative asthma inhaler
Corticosteroid to reduce inflammation, can lead to oral thrush if mouth not washed after used
prevents leukotriene release from mast cells
What is COPD
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
What are the two conditions in COPD
Emphysema and chronic Bronchitis
what is emphysema
damage to wall of alveoli, causing them to merge and a loss of SA for gas exchange
What is chronic bronchitis
excess mucus production caused by hypertrophy of mucus producing cells to try and protect against an irritant (smoking) > long term inflammation
symptoms of COPD
Breathlessness, wheeze, cough, fatigue, recurring lung infections
what can happen in severe COPD
purse lips, long term oxygen therapy, barrel chested, tissue damage can cause increased resistance and RHS heart failure > odema
Define Type 1 hypoxia
Gas exchange impairment: Low O2 saturation but normal CO2 levels in blood
e.g not enough oxygen
Define Type 2 hypoxia
hypercapnia, high CO2 levels due to difficulty ventilating air in and out of lungs
e.g too much CO2
what is hypoxic drive
body adapts to chronically lower O2 levels by changing to regulate respiration using CO2 receptors instead
How to manage hyperventilation
limit airflow through nostril breathing, slow breathing
encourage drinking to slow down breathing
coach pt to breathe through pursed lips
What is obstructive sleep apnea and what causes it
upper airway obstruction when sleeping - obese patients
what is the management of obstructive sleep apnoea
CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure machine), mandibular advancement prostheses to hold the tongue forwards
what is the definition and prognosis of fibrotic lung disease
lung tissue becomes scarred and fibrous, irreversible with poor long term prognosis
what are the causes of fibrotic lung disease
drug use, autoimmmune disease, exposure to toxins (e.g asbestos, silica)
which respiratory tract infection can lead to pneumonia?
Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI)
what is the anatomical point separating upper and lower respiratory tract infections?
the larynx
define pneumonia
infection of the lung functional tissue (parenchyma), obstructing exchange through inflammation and pathogens filling inside of alveoli
what does green/yellow sputum incidate
bacteria present in mucus
how is Legionnaire’s disease caught and what are the symptoms
symptoms of pneumonia, caused by legionella bacteria present in stagnant water
what is bronchiectasis and what are the symptoms
dilation, widening of bronchioles caused by genetics or damaging from cyclic infections
Symptoms: cough, breathlessness, chronic hypoxia, coughing of blood, finger clubbing
specific symptoms of lung and laryngeal cancer
new cough that won’t shift, haemoptysis, wheeze, stridor, breathlessness, chronic chest pain
what is Horner’s syndrome
Tumour at the superior apex of lung, causing nerve compression that leads to lack of sweating, unilateral droopy eyelid (Ptosis)
