Respiratory Flashcards
Asthmatic patient is using Salbutamol inhaler twice daily, should any management changes be suggested?
If using salbutamol more than once or day or experiencing night symptoms then should step up to:
Budesonide (steroid inhaler)
Resp causes of clubbing?
BBC Iplayer
Bronchial carcinoma (cancer)
Bronchiectasis (chronic supporative lung disease)
Cystic fibrosis (chronic supporative lung disease)
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Asthma Rx
Step 1 = short- b agonist
Step 2 = corticosteroid + short b agonist
What is step 3?
And if this doesn’t work?
Long- b agonist (salmeterol)
Not working? Stop it and increase steroids
Not working? Add Montelukast (leukotriene R antagonist)
What is the highest dose of inhaler corticosteroid given in asthma?
2000 micrograms/day
Acute asthma Rx?
Salbutamol 5mg NEB QRS (b2-agonist)
Ipratropium bromide 500mg NEB (anti-mACh R)
Prednisolone 40mg PO
1st line treatment for COPD?
20ug Ipratropium (anti-mACh R) QDS 100ug Salbutamol (b2-agonist) QDS
COPD patient is on ipratropium and salbutamol inhalers and is still breathless, what is 2nd line Rx for COPD?
Salmeterol 50ug INH (long b2-agonist)
Tiotropium 18ug INH (long anti m-ACh R)
What is the strongest combination of medications that can be given to someone with COPD?
Budesonide (steroid)
Formeterol (long acting anti mAChR)
Steroid
Salmeterol (long b2-agonist)
What FEV1/FVC values give the different stages of COPD?
Stage 1 mild: >0.8
Stage 2 moderate: 0.5-0.79
Stage 3 severe: 0.3-0.49
Stage 4 very severe:
What FEV/FVC values of COPD would you give tiotropium (anti m-ACh R) or salmeterol (long b2 agonist) for?
Mild to moderate- FEV/FVC above 0.5
What Rx should be started for stage 3/4 severe COPD?
Budesonide (steroid) + Fumeterol +LABA
Difference between janeway lesions and Osler’s nodes?
Osler’s (ow): Tender nodes on finger pulp
Janeways (way?? WAY!! High 5!!): red non-tender macules on palm
What is Quincke’s sign?
Visible pulsation in the nail bed related to aortic regurgitation
Low diastolic pressure > high stroke volume
What can cause a regularly irregular heart beat?
2nd degree heartblock
regular premature ventricular contractions
Radio-radial delay is a sign of?
Aortic arch aneurysm
What part of the brain is responsible for neurogenic hyperventilation?
Pontine lesions
What kind of drug overdose might lead to increased breathing?
Those causing metabolic acidosis:
Aspirin
What is the difference between bronchitis and bronchiectasis?
Bronchitis occurs in COPD where chronic inflammation leads to increased secretions And narrowing of airways.
Bronchiectasis is irreversible dilatation of bronchi and bronchioles secondary to recurrent infections as in cystic fibrosis and immunodeficiency
How is chronic bronchitis (of COPD) defined clinically?
Sputum production on most days
For 3 months
Of 2 successive years
What particular problems may be precipitated by SHORT COURSES of steroids in the elderly?
Name 3
- Steroid psychosis
- Congestive cardiac failure- from fluid overload
- Unmasking of diabetes
(And of course the normal issues, peptic ulcers etc)
What features of a patient in acute respiratory distress would make you think about non-invasive positive pressure ventilation?
- Patient is starting to tire
2. PH
What PaO2 on air, when stable would warrant oxygen for use at home (should be used 15 hours a day)
A PaO2 of below 7.3kPa
What puts hospitals off prescribing cephalosporins for elderly patients with pneumonia?
Clostridium difficile colitis complication risk.
If an elderly patient has had the flu, which bacterial cause of pneumonia is commoner. What Rx is good for this?
Staph aureus
Flucloxacillin- (you stacked it and absolutely FLU)
What are common causes of pleural effusion in the elderly?
Heart failure
Pneumonia- empyema
Pulmonary embolism
Malignancy- especially in ‘white-out’ on CXR
What are the different types of lung cancer?
20% Small cell (metastasises early)- platinum chemo
80% Non-small cell: squamous, adenocarcinoma, large cell- lobectomy
How is malignant mesothelioma diagnosed?
Exposure to which toxin is associated with it?
High resolution CT scan may identify it but definite diagnosis needs:
Pleural Biopsy
Asbestos exposure
Causes of pulmonary fibrosis?
IE. FS (fu** sake)
Idiopathic (cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis)
Exposure- Occupation, drugs (amiodarone antiarrhythmic, nitrofurantoin Abx, gold RHEUM)
Focal- TB, radiotherapy
Secondary- connective tissue disease, sarcoid
Patient has headache, vomiting, breathless. Is not cyanosed but PaO2 is 7kPa, Sats are 99% . Mucous membranes in the mouth are bright red.
Diagnosis?
Tests?
Carbon monoxide poisoning
IHx:carboxyhaemaglobin
Swinging pyrexia with shortness of breath and sputum suggests?
Collection of pus:
Para-pneumonic
Empyema (pleural space)
Cavity of pus
In acute asthma who would you consider giving magnesium sulphate to?
Those who do not have a good initial response to bronchodilators
Or life-threatening asthma
What peak flow readings should be aimed for before discharging asthma patients?
> 75% normal
What histological cell type of lung cancer is associated with ectopic hormone synthesis?
Small cell
-may secrete ADH leading to hyponatraemia
In lung function tests how do you test for reversibility of airway constriction (more asthma than COPD)?
More than a 15% change in FEV1 following 2 weeks of steroids
Indicates ongoing use of inhaled steroids
Normally long term oxygen therapy is given for COPD patients when their PaO2 goes below 7.3kPa but it is also indicated for below 8kPa if one of the following conditions are fulfilled:
Secondary Polycythaemia
Pulmonary hypertension
Peripheral oedema
Nocturnal hypoxaemia
If someone is under 40 and presenting with Lung Function Tests suggesting an obstructive picture without reversibility, what test should be done?
Serum a1-antitrypsin levels
What are acquired and congenital causes of bronchiectasis?
Aquired:
Local
obstruction- tumour, enlarged lymph node, foreign body
Post-infective -measles, whooping cough, TB
Systemic
Immunodeficiency- AIDs
Congenital
Local
Ciliary dyskinesia- primary, Kartagener’s, Young’s
Systemic
Cystic fibrosis
Immunoglobulin deficiencies- IgA selective, hypogammaglobulinaemia
A CF patient is treated for a pneumonia and given Flucloxacillin but the sputum remains green after antibiotics are given. What could be causing the infection and how should it be treated?
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (gram negative) Ciprofloxacin
More likely if hospital acquired or pneumonia is very severe
How is cystic fibrosis diagnosed?
Sodium level in sweat >60mmol/L
Gene analysis CFTR gene on chromosome 7
Absent vas deferens + epididymus
Patient has pneumonia and red cell agglutination on blood film. What may be the causative organism?
Mycoplasma pneumoniae (agglutination due to cold agglutinins) IgM shoots up
If pneumonia is severe with PaO2 below 8kPa what tests should be sent off?
Send urine off for legionella and pneumococcal (strep pneumo) antigen testing.
PCR sputum, serology for atypical organisms, viral serology
Under what circumstances would a pneumonia more likely to be due to anaerobic organism requiring metronidazole?
In comatosed aspiration pneumonia or when the patient has been on ITU
How do strep pneumo and staph pneumonias look different on CXR?
Strep pneumo- lobar consolidation
Staph aureus- bilateral cavitating bronchopneumonia
Which pneumonia may complicate an influenza infection?
Staphylococcal pneumonia
Staphylococcal pneumonia is found to be MRSA positive, which medications won’t work?
Can’t use flucloxacillin- try vancomycin
Patient has a cavitating upper lobe pneumonia, not responding to antibiotic treatment, what might be the causative organism?
Klebsiella- gram negative
Which pneumonia causes flu-like symptoms and then on xray has reticular-nodular shadowing/patchy consolidation?
How is it diagnosed?
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
PCR sputum/serology
What are the potential complications of mycoplasma pneumoniae infections?
Cold agglutinins > autoimmune haemolytic anaemia Erythema multiforme (target lesions on limbs)
Steven Johnson syndrome
Meningoencephalitis
Guillain-Barré syndrome