Respiratory Flashcards
Common Cold/Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
Risks: General poor health, lack of exercise, poor nutrition
Causes: Bacterial infections of the pharynx, middle ear, sinus, larynx, or lungs
Sinusitis
Causes: Viral, fungal or bacterial; swimming, diving, tooth abscesses, allergies, immunodeficiency diseases
Prevention: Manage conditions that predispose
Pharyngitis(Sore throat)
Causes: Viral, tonsillitis, bacterial streptococcal infection, irritation, inflammation, breathing in excessively heated air or chemical irritants, seasonal allergies
Prevention: Maintain general good health, avoid infections, evade irritants, control allergies
Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Risks: Southern China, Mediterranean, southeast Asia, Arctic, males, 10-25 years or 50-60 years, consumption of salted fish as diet standard, foods with high levels of nitrates, chinese herbs, infectino with Epstein-Barr virus, first degree relative with nasopharygeal carcinoma, diet
Prevention: Screen for EBV
Laryngitis
Risks: Inclement weather, tobacco, alcohol, irritating materials, excessive use of voice, benign or malignant lesions
Causes: Viral, bacterial, bronchitis, pertussis, influenza, measles, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis, irritation, acid reflux,
Prevention: Avoid irritants
Deviated Septum
Causes: Congenital, can be caused by trauma to nose
Prevented: Avoid trauma to nose
Nasal Polyps
Causes: Overproduction of fluid in the cells of the mucous membrane, allergic rhinitus
Prevention: Management
Anosmia
Causes: Chronic conditions such as nasal polyps, allergic rhinitus, damage to olfactory nerves
Prevention: Avoid head trauma
Epistaxis(Nosebleed)
Risks: Children
Prevention: Treatment of underlying disease, education to avoid recurrences
Laryngeal Tumors
Risks: Males(malignant)
Causes: Misuse or overuse of vocal chords(benign), heavy tobacco use(malignant)
Laryngeal Cancer
Risks: Smoking, alcohol use, multiplicative, HP infection, occupational exposure to agents, asbestos, relative with laryngeal cancer, 60-70 years old
Prevention: Cessation of smoking and alcohol consumption, periodic panendoscopy
Hemoptysis
Causes: Pulmonary arterial hypertension, pulmonary venous hypertension, trauma, vessel erosion, tumors, inflammatory conditions(bronchitis, bronchiectasis)
Atelectasis
Risks: Obesity, upper abdominal or chest surgery, neuromuscular weakness, pulmonary disease, postoperative patients
Causes: Incomplete expansion of lungs at birth, obstruction and bronchial tree mucous plug, anything that makes breathing difficult
Prevention: Early ambulation and good ventilation after surgery or for any condition that causes prolonged immobility, avoid smoking if lung disease is present
Pulmonary Embolism
Risks: Immobility, injuries, predisposition to clot formation, predisposing factors in pregnancy, oral contraceptives high in estrogen, diabetes mellitus, myocardial infarction
Prevention: Prophylactic therapy, early ambulation, stockings, management of long term immobility
Pneumonia
Risks: Damaged by poisonous gas, sever or chronologically ill more predisposed
Causes: Viral or bacterial infections(streptococci, pneumococci, staphylococci)
Prevention: Pneumococcal vaccine, antibiotic therapy for upper respiratory infections to prevent bacterial pneumonia, Prophylactic measures against aspiration and stroke patients or elderly
Pulmonary Abscesses
Causes: Complications of pneumonia caused by bacteria, aspiration of food, foreign objects, bronchial stenosis, neoplasm,
Background Factors: Periodontal disease, gingivitis, sinus infection, iv drug abuse, general anesthesia, or other causes of reduced levels of consciousness
Prevention: Minimize aspiration, proper treatment of dental infections, early treatment of pneumonia, influenza vaccine
Legionellosis(Legionnaire’s Disease/Pontiac Fever)
Risks: Infants, young children, elderly, otherwise healthy individuals
Causes: L. pneumophilia, contaminated air sized water droplets,
Predisposing Factors: Smoking, physical debilitation, COPD, immunosuppression, alcoholism
Prevention: Prevent stagnant water in facilities with better designs, maintain temperatures of water in cooling towers and air conditioning units below 95F or above 115F or adequate coordination, monitoring chlorine content of whirlpool baths and spas
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Pneumonia
Risks: Winter months(December to March)
Causes: Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Most serious in children younger than three months and the elderly
Prevention: Through hand washing and using disposable tissues, adults who are sick should not handle infants
Histoplasmosis
Risks: HIV
Causes: Fungus H. capsulatum carried by dust
Prevention: Limit exposure to contaminated soil
Influenza
Risks: Elderly, young and chronically ill
Causes: Orthomyxovirus AB&C, Secondary bacterial pneumonia(hemolytic streptococcus, staphylococcus, or pneumococcus)
Prevention: Prophylactic use of vaccines, annual booster doses are optional
Bronchitis
Causes: Common cold, other viral infections, smoking, pollution, same bacteria is known to cause pneumonia
Prevention: Avoid smoking, chronic exposure to pollutants in the air, and recurrent respiratory infections
Bronchiectasis
Risks/Causes: Repeated damage to bronchial wall and destruction of muscular/elastic portions from recurrent airway infections, pneumonia, bronchial obstruction, inhalation of corrosive gas, tuberculosis, complications of cystic fibrosis, other childhood infections
Prevention: Childhood immunizations, early treatment, avoid smoking, avoid exposure to other respiratory irritants
Asthma
Risks/Causes: Environmental and genetic, intrinsic or extrinsic triggers
Pulmonary Emphysema
Risks/Causes: Long term smoking, repeated respiratory tract infections, irritants, familial tendency
Prevention: Education about consequences of smoking, encouraged to avoid inhalation of irritating substances like smoke, avoid exposure to respiratory tract infections, receive influenza vaccine annually
Pneumoconiosis
Risks/Causes: Dust, coal, silica, aluminum, beryllium, iron, cotton, sugar cane, synthetic fibers
Prevention: Dust reduction or cessation of exposure in workplace, smoking worsens condition, embedded asbestos fibers, increased risk of lung cancer
Pleurisy(Pleuritis)
Risks/Causes: Other diseases and infections, injury, tumours
Pneumothorax
Risks/Causes: Tumors, diseases, trauma
Hemothorax
Causes: Trauma, erosion of pulmonary vessel, hematologic disorders
Flail Chest
Causes: Direct trauma to chest wall, direct compression, hard fall, industrial accident
Prevention: Safety measures to protect chest of trauma
Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Risks of reinfection: Malnutrition, poor health, unsanitary living environment, other illnesses
Causes: Bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Infectious Mononucleosis(Glandular Fever)
Risks: Adolescents, young adults, before 35 years old
Causes: Epstein-Barr virus, herpes virus
Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome(ARDS)
Causes: Severe trauma
Sarcoidosis
Risks/Causes: Malfunction of immune system, caused by virus, 20-40 years old, suspected exposure to toxins, injury triggered
Lung Cancer
Most common cause of cancer death worldwide
Risks/Causes: Smoking, exposure to second hand smoke, asbestos, radon, arsenic, air pollution, radiation therapy for other cancers
Prevention: Cessation of smoking
