Respiratory Flashcards
Apnoea
Absence of breathing
Bronchospasm
A tightening of the muscles in the walls of the bronchioles, which can make it difficult to breathe
Cor pulnomale
Abnormal enlargement of the right side of the heart as a result of disease in the lungs and/or pulmonary blood vessels
Dyspnoea
Difficulty in breathing
Epistaxis
Bleeding from the nose, caused by damage to the blood vessels of the nasal mucosa
Haemoptysis
Coughing up blood – usually red and frothy
Hypercapnia
High levels of carbon dioxide in the blood stream
Hypoxaemia
An abnormally low concentration of oxygen in the blood
Hypoxia
Where a part of the body is deprived of an adequate oxygen supply at tissue level. This can be through the whole body or just affecting one region of the body.
Laryngospasm
A rare condition that causes the vocal cords to suddenly contract, making it difficult to breathe or speak
Rhonchi
Low pitched, gurgling sound heard on auscultation typically caused by an obstruction in the airway, eg secretions.
Stridor
Inspiratory, harsh noise (created in upper airway), generally very audible [commonly heard in children with croup
Tachypnoea
Fast breathing
Wheeze
Inspiratory and/or expiratory noise – typically high and squeaky; heard in asthma (created in the lower airways), generally heard on auscultation
Empyema
A serious condition that occurs when pus collects in the pleural space, the cavity between the lung and the chest wall
Haemothorax
When blood pools in the pleural cavity, the space between the lungs and rib cage
Chylothorax
When lymphatic fluid leaks into the pleural space, the area between the chest wall and the lungs
