Respiratory Flashcards
Chronic cough causes
Minor persistent problems - recurrent URTIs, post-nasal drip, post-infectious
‘Asthma syndrome’
Chronic pneumonia
Chronic endobronchial suppurative disease - CF, immunodeficiency, PCD, post-infectious
Aspiration - swallowing problem/laryngeal disorder, GORD
Mechanical - inhaled retained foreign body, inefficiency, SOL
Cough hx
Preceding sx - fever, runny nose, choking ep
Onset - rapid, prodromal symptoms - present in viral illness
Duration - acute < 3 weeks, chronic > 6 weeks
Nature - wet or dry
Quality - barking, honking, paroxysmal
Associated symptoms - dyspnoea, wheeze, feeding difficulties, vomiting
Diurnal variation
Response to mx
PMHx
Airway obstruction causes of central cyanosis
Choanal atresia
Laryngomalacia
Macroglossia
Pierre-Robin Syn
Pulmonary causes of central cyanosis
Alveolar capillary dysplasia
Lobar emphysema
Pneumonia/PE/pneumothorax
Persistent pulmonary HTN of newborn
Pulmonary hypoplasia
RDS
Cardio-thoracic causes of central cyanosis
Congenital cyanotic heart disease
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia
CNS depression causes of central cyanosis
Apnoea of prematurity
Infection - meningitis, encephalitis
IVH
Seizure
Neuromuscular disorder causes of central cyanosis
Neonatal myasthenia gravis
Phrenic nerve injury
SMA type 1
Haematologic causes of central cyanosis
Haemaglobinopathies
Polycythaemia
Metabolic causes of central cyanosis
Severe hypoglycaemia
Inborn errors of metabolism
Stridor
harsh, musical sound due to partial obstruction of the lower portion of the upper airway including the upper trachea and the larynx
Stridor causes
- croup
- epiglottitis
- bacterial tracheitis
- laryngeal/oesophageal foreign body
- allergic laryngeal angioedema
- inhalation of smoke and hot fumes in fires
- trauma to the throat
- retropharyngeal abscess
- hypocalcaemia
- severe lymph node swelling - TB, infectious mononucleosis, malignancy
Epiglottitis
- caused by H. influenzae type b
- mostly 1-6 years
- acute, life-threatening illness
- high fever, ill, toxic-looking
- painful throat, unable to swallow saliva → drools down chin
- management → ensure airway is secure, IV abx & steroids
Bacterial tracheitis
- high fever, toxic
- loud, harsh stridor
- management → IV antibiotics and intubation & ventilation if required
Viral episodic wheeze
Cause - narrow small airways, aberrant immune response
Symptomatic only with viral infections
RFs - maternal smoking, prematurity, male gender
Resolves by age 5 as airways enlarge
Multi-trigger wheeze
Wheeze triggered by many stimuli eg. cold air, dust, exercise
Used where formal asthma diagnosis not justified
Recurrent may benefit from asthma treatment
Many go on to develop asthma
Acute wheeze causes
Viral episodic wheeze
Multi-trigger wheeze
Bronchiolitis
Pneumonia
Foreign body inhalation
Anaphylaxis
Chronic wheeze causes
Bronchitis, bronchiectasis
CF
Tracheal/oesophageal foreign body
Recurrent aspiration
Structural - tracheo-bronchomalacia, vascular ring
Acute asthma
- characterised by a rapid deterioration in the symptoms of asthma
- could be triggered by any of the typical asthma triggers (infection, exercise, cold weather)
Acute asthma presentation
Progressively worsening shortness of breath
Signs of respiratory distress
Fast RR
Expiratory wheeze on auscultation heard throughout the chest
Chest can sound ‘tight’ on auscultation with reduced air entry
Asthma moderate severity
PF > 50% predicted
Normal speech
Asthma severe severity
PF < 50% predicted
Sats < 92%
Unable to complete sentences in one breath
Signs of respiratory distress
RR:
> 40 in 1-5 years
> 30 in > 5 years
HR:
>140 in 1-5 years
> 125 in > 5 years
Asthma life-threatening severity
PF < 33% predicted
Sats < 92%
Exhaustion and poor respiratory effort
Hypotension
Silent chest
Cyanosis
Altered consciousness/confusion
Acute asthma mx
Supplementary O2 if required
Bronchodilators
- stepped up at required:
- inhaled or nebulised salbutamol (monitor K+ as causes hypokalaemia, tachycardia, tremor)
- inhaled or nebulised ipratropium bromide
- IV magnesium sulphate (CCB - can aid in the relaxation of constricted bronchioles during an exacerbation)
- IV aminophylline
Steroids
Antibiotics - only if bacterial cause is suspected
Mild cases - can be managed as an outpatient with regular salbutamol inhalers via a spacer (4-6 puffs every 4 hours)
Moderate to severe cases:
- salbutamol inhalers via a spacer device starting with 10 puffs every 2 hours
- nebulisers with salbutamol/ipratropium bromide
- oral prednisolone
- IV meds - hydrocortisone, magnesium sulphate, salbutamol, aminophylline
- if still not controlled → anaesthetist & ICU → intubation and ventilation
Typical step down regime of salbutamol - 10 puffs 2 hourly, 10 puffs 4 hourly, 6 puffs 4 hourly, 4 puffs 6 hourly
Acute asthma discharge
Considered when the child is well on 6 puffs 4 hourly of salbutamol
Can be prescribed a reducing regime of salbutamol to continue at home
Finish the course of steroids
Provide safety-net information
Individualised written asthma action plan
Chronic asthma
- asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease leading to variable airway obstruction
- smooth muscle in the airways is hypersensitive & responds to stimuli by constricting & causing airflow obstruction