Respiratory Flashcards
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease
COPD, a group of lung diseases in which the bronchial airflow is obstructed, making it difficult to breathe out. Most often caused by long-term smoking, COPD is generally permanent and progressive. Most also suffer from chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Emphysema
The progressive, long-term loss of lung function, usually due to smoking. Emphysema is characterized by a decrease in the total number of alveoli, enlargement of the remaining alveoli, and the progressive destruction of the walls of these remaining alveoli. Breathing becomes increasingly rapid, shallow, and difficult. This leads to chronic overinflation of the lungs, which causes the rib cage to stay partially expanded all the time (barrel chest).
Internal Respiration
Cellular respiration, the exchange of gases within the cells of the blood and tissues.
Oxygen passes from the bloodstream into the cells. The cells give off CO2, which is transported to lungs to be expelled during exhalation.
Pertussis
Whooping cough, a contagious bacterial infection of the upper respiratory tract that is characterized by recurrent bouts of paroxysmal (sudden or spasmlike) cough, followed by breathlessness and a noisy inspiration.
Croup
An acute respiratory infection in children and infants characterized by obstruction of the larynx, hoarseness, and swelling around the vocal cords resulting in a barking cough and stridor.
Stridor is a harsh, high-pitched sound caused by a blockage present when breathing in.
Aphonia
The loss of the ability of the larynx to produce normal speech sounds.
Pleurisy
Pleuritis, an inflammation of the pleura, the membranes that cover the lungs and line the pleural cavity. Pleurisy, which causes pleurodynia (sharp pain that occurs when the inflamed membranes rub against each other with each inhalation), may result from trauma, tuberculosis, connective tissue disease, or an infection.
Hemothorax
A collection of blood in the pleural cavity. Often a result of chest trauma.
-thorax means chest
Atelectasis
Collapsed lung, the incomplete expansion of part or all of a lung due to a blockage of the air passages or pneumothorax (accumulation of air in the pleural space)
Lobes of the Lungs
The right lung is larger and has three lobes: the upper, middle, and lower (superior, middle, inferior)
The left lung has only two lobes, the upper and lower, due to space restrictions because the heart is located on that side of the body.
Cheyne-Stokes respiration
An irregular pattern of breathing characterized by alternating rapid or shallow respiration followed by slower respiration or apnea (temporary absence of spontaneous respiration).
Anoxia; Hypoxia; Hypoxemia
The absence of oxygen from the body’s tissues and organs even though there is an adequate flow of blood.
The condition of having deficient oxygen levels in the body’s tissues organs. It is less severe than anoxia.
The condition of having low oxygen levels in the blood, usually due to respiratory disorders or heart conditions.
Hemoptysis
The expectoration (act of coughing up and spitting out saliva, mucus, or other body fluid) of blood or blood-stained sputum derived from the lungs or bronchial tubes as the result of a pulmonary or bronchial hemorrhage. -ptysis means spitting
Thoracentesis
The surgical puncture of the chest wall with a needle to obtain fluid from the pleural cavity. This procedure is performed to removed liquid (pleural effusion) or air (pneumothorax) from the pleural cavity.
Tuberculin skin testing
Mantoux PPD skin test, a screening test for tuberculosis in which a very small amount of PPD tuberculin is injected under the top layer of the skin on the forearm. The site is checked for a reaction 48 to 72 later.
