Respiratory Flashcards
What is a stridor and when does it occur?
- Monophonic wheeze
- Occurs in cough in pertussis or in laryngeal or tracheal obstruction
List the questions asked relating to sputum
- Amount
- Character (serous is clear and frothy, mucoid is grey or white, purulent is pus, haemoptysis, muco-purulent)
- Viscosity
- Taste/odour
What is mucous like sputum caused by?
- Chronic lung disease
Describe sputum seen in pulmonary oedema
- Pink and frothy
Describe types of haemoptysis and their causes
- Frank whole blood in TB, pulmonary infarction and bronchiectasis
- Pink in pulmonary oedema
- Blood stained in pneumonia, bronchial carcinoma, trauma from excessive coughing
- Rusty sputum is brown to yellow (due to breakdown of haem) due to pneumococcal pneumonia, bronchiectasis and lung abscesses
What is a bovine cough?
- Non explosive
- Larygeal paralysis
List the types of pain and their causes
- Laryngeal upper retrosternal mild/intermittent pain in tracheotomy, severe in TB or tumours
- Retrosternal pain is constrictive, like cardiac, but is not exertional. Radiates to the arms and back due to mediastinal lesions
- Pleural pain (pleurisy) is sharp, stabbing localised chest pain. Worse with breathing - especially deep breathing - can be worse on movement or exercise. If pulmonary effusion occurs then it subsides
What is emphysema?
- Trapped air.
- Panacinar emphysema is due to alpha-1 antrypsin deficiency, suspected in young non-smokers
What is kussmals breathing and when does it occur?
- Deep and fast
- Occurs in diabetic ketoacidosis
Which lung conditions can be caused by birds?
- Psittacosis
- Extrinsic allergic alveolitis (bird fanciers lung)
What is a pancoast tumour, and how does it affect nervous system?
- Apex of the lung
- Can compress superior sympathetic chain and cause horners (miosis, anhydrosis, ptosis)
What is a flail chest?
Multiple broken ribs
List the types of breath sounds and their causes
- Vesicular (normal - longer and slower inspiration, no pause then faster expiration)
- Bronchial - normal over the trachea, has a blowing quality (slower expiration, pause between inspiration and expiration. Due to fibrosis or consolidation)
- Extra - wheeze, crepitations (crackles are non musical, like walking on snow), rubs (leathery or crackling caused by pleura rubbing together)
List the symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis, and the findings on spirometry testing
- Cough
- Crackles
- Clubbing
- Decreased total lung capacity and gas diffusion in the lungs (so decreased FVC, FEV1, DLCO but normal FEV1:FVC ratio)
What causes tension pneumothorax?
- Trauma to the chest wall
- Entry of outside air into interpleural space
- Collapse of the affected lung causing absent breath sounds
Define acute respiratory distress syndrome
Medical condition that occurs in critically ill patients characterised by widespread inflammation and non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema
List symptoms and signs of acute respiratory distress syndrome
- Dyspnoea
- Tachypnoea, tachycardia
- Peripheral vasodilation
- Crackles bilaterally
- Low oxygen sats
- Fever, cough, pleuritic chest pain
How is acute respiratory distress syndrome diagnosed?
Berlin criteria
- Acute onset within 1 week of clinical insult with progression of symptoms and bilateral pulmonary infiltrates on Xray without alternate explaination
- Respiratory failure not fully explained by fluid overload or congestive heart failure
- Pa/FiO2 ratio less than 300 when patient given PEEP of 5cm H2O
Describe symptoms of asthma
- Shortness of breath and wheezing due to bronchoconstriction, often worse at night or earlier in the morning (diurnal variation). History of cough
- Triggered by exercise, cold temperatures and allergens
- Obstructive pulmonary disease
- Presence of associated atopic conditions
- Symptoms exacerbated by some drugs
- Wheeze on auscultation
List risk factors for pulmonary embolism
- DVT/ previous PE
- Malignancy
- Immobilisation
- Obesity
- Recent surgery
- Lower limb trauma or fracture
- Oestrogen, pregnancy
- Increasing age
- Varicose veins
List symptoms of PE
- Chest pain that worsens on inspiration (pleuritic)
- Dyspnoea
- Dizziness or syncope
- Pain in leg, swelling
- Haemoptysis
Define bronchiectasis
Bronchiectasis is a permanent dilatation and thickening of the airways associated with chronic cough, sputum production, bacterial colonization, and recurrent infection.
What can be seen in streptococcus pneumoniae infection on X ray?
Lobar pneumonia (localised not patchy pulmonary infiltrates, only affecting one lobe)
What can be seen in adenovirus infection on X ray?
Interstitial pneumonitis - interstitial rather than alveolar shadowing, bronchograms not visible
What can be seen in mycoplasma pneumoniae infaction on X ray?
- Bronchopneumonia but abscesses rarely seen
- Patchy consolidation
What can be seen on saphylococcus aureus infection on X ray?
- Abscesses
- Bronchopneumonia
- Fluid level
Define sarcoidosis
- Multisystem granulomatous disease that may affect the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, liver and nervous system
- Frequently involves the lungs, often characterised by bilateral hilar adenopathy
- Can be asymptomatic
- May lead to fibrosis and restrictive lung disease
- Can cause neuropathies
What is chronic bronchitis?
- A form of COPD
- Productive cough for at least 3 months per year for at least 2 years
- Occurs with emphysema
What is the most common cause of community acquired pneumonia?
Streptococcus pneumoniae (encaspulated, gramp positive, diplococci, optochin sensitivie)
What is the golden S sign?
- Sign seen on x-ray indicative of a bronchogenic tumour
- Commonly seen in right upper lobe collapse
What should be done to diagnose suspected haemothorax?
Chest X ray
Define COPD
- Obstructive airway disease associated with chronic tobacco use. Causes chronic bronchitis (narrowing of the airways with excessive secretions - chronic cough on most days for at least 3 months in the last 2 years) and emphysema (dilated terminal air spaces, loss of elastic recoil of alveoli)
- Elevated pCO2, pHCO3 and decreased pH
Define pleural effusion
Fluid between the pleura of the lungs, causing blunting of costophrenic angles on x-ray
Describe cheyne stokes breathing
- Oscillation between apnoea and hyperpnoea
- Crescendo decreascendo pattern
List symptoms of mesothelioma
- Dyspnea
- Jaundice
- Chest wall pain (due to pleural effusion)
- Cough (usually dry)
- Fatigue
- Ascites
- Weight loss
- Fever
- Night sweats
- Anorexia
- Abdo pain and obstruction suggests peritoneal
Define mesothelioma
- A type of cancer in the mesothelium
- Pleura, pericardium, sac of testes, chest wall
Describe investigations for mesothelioma
- CT scanning show pleural thickening/ effusion
- Sample of pleural fluid shows blood
- Biopsy using thorascopy
- CT CAP
Describe diagnosis of chronic bronchitis
- Presence of cough, producing sputum on most days of 3 months for 2 consecutive years
- Permanent largely irreversible shortness of breath
List risk factors for COPD
- Smoking
- Occupational exposure of lung irritants, pollution
- a1-antitrypsin deficiency (under 40)
- Age over 35
List signs of COPD
- Hyperexpanded chest
- Breathing through pursed lips + using accessory muscles
- Reduced cricosternal distance
- Central cyanosis
- Reduced air entry/chest expansion
- Prolongued expiratory phase
- Hyper-resonant percussion note
- Reduced breath sounds with wheeze
- Tar staining
- CO2 retention tremor (or fine due to salbutamol)
- Elevated JVP if cor pulmonale
- Cachectic
Define interstitial lung disease
- History of exposure to asbestos, silica, or coal (pneumoconioses), and drugs (methotrexate and amiodarone)
- Reduced FVC normal FEV
- Fine crackles heard over the lung, fibrosis
- Includes idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, sarcoidosis, pneumoconiosis)
List signs of interstitial lung disease
- Clubbing
- Reduced air entry/chest expansion
- Late inspiratory, fine crackles (heard at bases or apices)
What is atelectasis?
- Alveolar collapse
- Pain sometimes stops patients breathing adequately to extract mucous from the lungs, leading to bronchioles becoming blocked and collapse of that area of the lung
How is post-operative atelectasis prevented?
- Analgesia
- Incentive spirometry
- Early mobilisation
How is atelectasis diagnosed?
- Chest radiograph
- Look for collapse, consolidation (from pneumonia, oedema or pneumothorax)
How is atelectasis treated?
- Physiotherapy
- Analesia
- Oxygen
Describe management of asthma in the community
- Avoidance of triggers
- For reliever, SABA then can increase to formoterol if necessary
- For controller, start with low dose ICS if SABA alone not enough, then add LATRA, then increase SABA to LABA, then raise ICS dose.
- Reduction of immune response of the lungs (using inhaled or oral corticosteroids)
- Leukotriene receptor antagonist, LAMA
- Anti IgE and anti IL5
- Bronchial thermoplasty
- Oral prednisolone at late stage
Compare spirometery in asthma and COPD
- COPD, FEV1 and FER (FEV1:FVC) reduced (due to obstructed airways and lack of elasticity of the lungs meaning less air is exhaled)
- In asthma, usually only FER (FEV1:FVC)is affected as the speed air is moved in and out of the lungs is affected as opposed to volume of air
Describe management of COPD
- Smoking cessation
- Inhaled therapy (First line SABA or SAMA. If asthmatic features 2nd line is LABA and ICS, 3rd line triple therapy with LAMA, LABA, ICS. If no asthmatic features 2nd line LABA and LAMA, 3rd line triple therapy with LAMA, LABA, ICS)`
- Pulmonary rehabilitation (physiotherapy, exercise and education)
- Vaccination (influenza, one off pneummococcal)
- Long term oxygen (prevents cor pulmonale)
- Manage exacerbations (oral corticosteriods or prophlactic antibiotics, use of NIV, hospital at home/assisted discharge schemes, theophylline, mucolytic - carbocystine, PDE4 inhibitors)
- Rescue packs
How is type II respiratory failure in a COPD patient treated?
- Controlled oxygen therapy (not 100% as patients no longer rely on CO2 levels to stimulate breathing, 24% O2 blue venturi)
- Bronchodilators, steroids 30mg pret, antibiotics, paracetamol, IV aminophuline
- Improve ventillation with NIV (non-invasive ventillation)
- Treat underlying cause (pneumothorax, pneumonia, pulmonary oedema, PE, airway obstriction)
- If decompensated aim for sats 98%, ventillatory support (bi-level continuous airway support is non invasive option - BiPAP)
How is interstitial lung disease diagnosed?
- CT scan
- Look for linear reticular opacities and ground-glass appearance
How is suspected malignancy investigated?
- Lymph node fine needle aspirate
- Chest radiograph
- Sample pleural effusion
What is respiratory failure?
Describe type 1 and 2 respiratory failure
- Impairment of pulmonary gas exchange sufficient to result in hypoxaemia or hypercapnia. Divided into 2 types based off whether CO2 is expelled or retained
- PO2 less than 8kPa
- Type 1 respiratory failure is a problem with oxygen alone (hypoxic)
- Type 2 respiratory failure is hypercapnic and hypoxaemic. Ventilatory failure, impairment of respiratory bellows resulting in alveolar hypoventilation occurs. Oxygenation of blood is reduced as CO2 builds up in the blood, so affinity for oxygen decreases and CO2 removal decreases.
List causes of type 1 respiratory failure
- Caused by reduced oxygen entry into the blood (lack of ventilation or lack of exchange at the alveolar membrane)
- Asthma, COPD, pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis
- Ventilation perfusion mismatch
List causes of type 2 respiratory failure
- Decreased respiratory drive (opiates, central neurological problems eg. stroke/trauma)
- Impaired lung movements eg. reduced compliance and increased dead space in COPD, chest wall deformity, neuromuscular impairment (motor neuron disease) and obesity
Describe presentation of respiratory syncytial virus
- Bronchiolitis (LRTI)
- Wheezing, cough
- Fusion of endothelial cells to form cyncitia
- Tachypnoea, congestion, rinorrhoea
- Fever
- Hypoxaemia
What is the most common cause of childhood pneumonia?
Respiratory syncytial virus
Which type of tumour is most likely to have neuroendocrine function?
List other characteristics of this tumour.
- Small cell carcinoma
- Also occur centrally in large airways and have cells that resemble lymphocytes
- Poor prognosis as it is highly metastatic
Define pulmonary embolism
A disease characterized by an embolus to the pulmonary vasculature commonly associated with deep venous thrombosis
Define obstructive sleep apnea
- Reversible intermittent obstruction of the upper airway at night
- During sleep, muscle tone decreases and the pharynx collapses and can obstruct the airway
- CO2 accumulates in blood until it arouses the patient to wake up
- Absence of air flow during sleep
List symptoms and signs of obstructive sleep apnoea
- Recent unintentional weight gain (obesity is a big risk factor)
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Snoring
How is obstructive sleep apnoea diagnosed?
- Overnight sleep study
- Electroencephalogram
- Questionnaire (epworth sleepyness scale score over 12 means clinically sleepy)
Define pneumoconiosis
Interstitial lung disease caused by inhaling dust, for example coal dust particles. Causes fibrosis due to macrophages ingesting dust
Define croup
- Infection in infants causing a characteristic barking cough and stridor.
- Upper airways affected, causes inflammation and swelling and possibly fever
How is croup investigated
Neck x ray shows a steeple sign in the trachea, providing evidence of tracheal swelling
How is croup treated?
- Give oral dexametasone to reduce swelling of the trachea
- Treatment of then supportive and the condition resolves within a few days
List symptoms of viral upper respiratory tract infections
- Sore throat
- Malaise
- Non-productive cough
- Low grade fever
How is URTI diagnosed?
Sputum culture
How is URTI treated?
Symptomatic support
Define pulmonary fibrosis
An over-deposition of collagen within the interstitium of the lung
Which pattern of calcification is associated with malignancy?
Eccentric or stippled
List causes of haemoptysis (surgical sieve)
- Vascular (PE, left ventricular failure, bleeding diathesis, arteriovenous malformation, vascular bronchial fistula)
- Accident/trauma (iatrogenic, wounds)
- Neoplasm (primary or metastatic lung cancer)
- Inflammatory (granulomatosis, goodpastures syndrome, SLE, hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia, polyarteritis nodosa, microscopic polyangitis)
- Septic (TB, bronchitis, pneumoia, lung abscess, mycetoma)
- Hereditary/haematological (warfarin use)
- Endocrine
- Degenerative (bronchiectasis)