Respiratory Flashcards
What are the main symptoms of asthma?
Wheeze, cough, chest tightness, breathlessness
What are the environmental triggers of asthma?
URTI, allergens (dust, pollens, pets etc), smoking, cold air, exercise, emotional upset or anxiety
Describe asthma?
IgE mediated disease of chronic airway inflammation, bronchial hyper-reactivity & reversible
airway obstruction.
What percentage of kids does asthma affect?
15-20%
When does asthma typically present?
Before the age of 10 and difficult to make diagnosis in toddler below the age of 3
Describe asthma to a parent?
It is a REVERSIBLE obstructive condition of the breathing pipes which happens in a response to various triggers (give examples) causing narrowing of the breathing pipes, inflammation (like an allergy or a reaction) and a production of mucus all making it difficult for the child to breathe. Very common, FH likely, worse at night and first thing in morning etc etc
What is the appearance and sound of a child’s chest with chronic asthma?
hyperinflation of the chest, generalised polyphonic expiratory wheeze & prolonged expiratory phase
What are harrison’s sulci?
These are depressions at the base of the thorax, associated with chronic obstructive disease in childhood
What are the reliever therapies for asthma?
Short acting beta agonists (salbutamol and terbutaline) and long acting beta agonist (salmeterol).
What are the preventative therapies for asthma?
Inhaled corticosteroids (beclometasone and fluticasone), Add leukotrine antagonist (montelukast) OR combination inhaler containing inhaled corticosteroid and beta agonsit (USED WITH BETA AGONIST NOT INSTEAD OF), theophylline (bronchodilator) and oral steroids (e.g. prednisolone).
What are the side effects of long term steroid use in children?
Impaired growth, make sure they’re growing, shoe size, height etc
Adrenal suppression
Oral cadidiasis
Altered bone metabolism
Oral steroids only work locally and therefore only side effect is oral thrush, reassure parents.
When should parents seek medical attention?
If their child is requiring 10 or more puff of reliever more than every 4 hours OR when
RR >50 in 2-5s or >30 in >5s, tachycardia, breathlessness, use of accessories etc.
Describe a severe asthma attack.
Too breathless to talk or feed, use of accessory NECK muscles, oxygen sats <92%, resps >50 2-5s and >30 >5s, Pulse >130 2-5s and >120 over 5s, peak flow <50% predicted value.
In a life-threatening asthma attack, whats the peak flow saying?
<33% of predicted value
In a moderate asthma attack what is the treatment?
Short acting beta agonist via spacer, 2-4 puffs every 2 minutes increasing by 2 puffs every 2 mins to 10 puffs if necessary. Consider oral pred and reassess in 1 hour.
How do you manage a severe asthma attack?
Short acting beta 2 10 puffs via spacer or nebuliser, oral pred or IV hydrocortisone, nebulised ipratropium bromide if poor response, repeat bronchodilators every 20-30 mins.
How do you manage a life-threatening asthma attack?
Nebulised beta 2 salbut or terbutaline plus ipratropium bromide, IV hydrocortisone and if poor response transfer to HCU or PICU, consider chest X-ray and blood gases , IV salbutamol or amyophylline (caution if already using theophylline and consider IV bolus of magnesium sulphate.
How many days after a severe or moderate asthma exacerbation should you continue oral pred?
3 days
How do you know if you are breathing correctly into an inhaler?
It will make a clicking noise, if not it will make a whistling noise.
Inhalation technique:
Child standing (to make full use of diaphragm)
Shake MDI
Place it into spacer
Place device in mouth, FIRM SEAL
Breathe in and out normally until normal rhythm established
Once this has happened activate device and continue breathing 5 times, if second does is needed repeat
What causes bronchiolitis in 80% of cases?
RSV (single stranded RNA).
What happens in RSV?
The virus invades the lower airways and causes increase mucous production, desquamation & bronchiolar obstruction
What age does bronchiolitis mainly occur in?
1-9 months, rare after 12 months
What are the remaining 20% of cases of bronchiolitis caused by?
Human metapneumovirus (joint infection with RSV causing severe bronchiolitis), parainfluenza virus, influenza, rhinovirus, mycoplasma pneumoniae, adenovirus
Although unhelpful what does a chest x ray in a kid with bronchiolitis show?
Hyperinflation of the lungs with a flattened diaphragm, horizontal ribs and increased hilar bronchial markings.
Which children are at increased risk of bronchiolitis?
Congenital HDs, chronic lund disease of prematurity, immunodeficiency etc.
What can you hear on auscultation in a kid with bronchiolitis?
Fine end inspiratory crackles
How do you test for RSV?
Nasopharyngeal swab
How do you manage RSV?
Humidified oxygen via nasal canula to achieve SaO2>92%, NG tube if tachypnoea, limit oral feeds and use NGT, bronchodilators for wheeze. (0.15mg/kg) and 15 mins later nebuliser dexamethasone (0.6mg/kg IM). Altlhough little evidence that beta agonists work in kids this young as underdeveloped beta agonist receptor,
What is croup?
Inflammation and increased secretions and obstruction anywhere from the nose to the lower airway (larynx, trachea, bronchi).
What age group does croup normally affect?
6 months- 6 years with peak incidence at 2 years
What causes croup?
95% due to viral cause. Influenza/parainfluenza, as well as RSV.
What are the typical features of croup?
Barking cough, harsh stridor (Airflow is usually disrupted by a blockage in the larynx (voice box) or trachea (windpipe). It’s most noticeable when breathing in, though it can sometimes be heard when breathing out.), hoarseness, coryza, fever. Symptoms start at night usually and develop over days
What is a dangerous feature of croup?
Oedema in the sub glottic area that may result in critical narrowing of the trachea.
How is croup normally managed?
Can be managed at home but low threshold for admission in <12 months.
Oral dexamethasone, prednisolone & nebulised steroids reduce severity & duration of croup reducing need for hospitalisation.
If sats <93%- warm humidified oxygen can be given
<2% require tracheal intubation.
What age group does epiglottis usually affect?
1-6 years
How does epiglottitis usually present?
Very acute onset, associated with high fever, ill and toxic looking child, DROOLING, soft inspiratory stridor, child immobile, upright with airway open, minimal or absent cough
How could you differentiate between croup and epiglottitis?
No cough in epi, child can still drink in croup, child is toxic looking in epi, rapid onset in epi, (in sever croup sometimes nebuliser adrenaline is given and initiates response, this would have no response in epiglottitis)
In what condition would you see a steeple sign on AP chest x ray?
Croup- this is when subglottic tracheal narrowing produces the shape of a church steeple
In what condition would you see thumb print sign on lateral x-ray?
Epiglottitis, (looks like a thumb print laterally).
How do you manage epiglottitis?
Child must be intubated immediately, only after ETT can bloods be taken and venous access for IV antibiotics
What antibiotics are used in epiglottitis?
Cefuroxime, ceftriaxone and cefatxime IV for 7-10 days.
Random but which antibiotic is used for gonorrhoea?
Ceftriaxone plus doxy or azith.
What prophylaxis should be given to people in close contact with epiglottitis?
Rifampicin.