Respiratory Conditions Flashcards
What is Bronchogenic cancer?
Small Mediastinal tumour filled with fluid. Presents with bronchus sign: airway leading directly to a peripheral mass
What are the stages of Lung cancer?
I: one lung and less than 4cm
II: more than 4cm, may spread to near lymph node
III: contralateral node or close structure invasion
IV: outside chest
What is the difference between hypoxia and hypoxaemia?
Hypoxia: tissues
hypoxaemia: blood
What is type 1 respiratory failure and what can cause it?
low O2 and normal or low CO2
COPD, pneumonia, asthma, pneumothorax , PE
what is type 2 respiratory failure and what can cause it?
low O2 and high CO2
COPD, severe asthma,
What defines obstructive lung diseases and what are examples?
airflow is impaired: less than 80% of FEV1 and FEV1/FVC ratio below 0.7
Asthma, COPD, bronchiectasis
What defines restrictive lung diseases and what are examples?
lungs don’t function effectively: less than 80% of FVC, normal ratio
pulmonary fibrosis, obesity, sarcoidosis
What is COPD?
Progressive airflow limitation that is not fully reversible: emphysema (alveoli destruction), chronic bronchitis and small airway fibrosis
What is the aetiology of COPD?
smoking, respiratory infections and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency: autosomal dominant (SERPINA 1), increase of alveolar destruction, can accumulate in liver and causes cirrhosis
what are RF for COPD?
smoking, advanced age, exposure to pollution
How does COPD present?
wheeze, breathlessness, productive cough with white sputum and can have systemic symptoms (depression, HTN, osteoporosis)
severe: breathless at rest, hyperinflation, can develop pulmonary HTN and HF
What are two types of symptom presentation in COPD?
Blue bloaters: chronic bronchitis, overweight, cyanosis, oedema due to R HF
Pink Puffers: emphysema, pursed lip breathing, pink skin, barrel chest
What tests do you order for COP and what results do you expect?
Order spirometry, oximetry, ABG’s, cxr
- FEV1/FVC below 0.7, less than 80% of FEV1 - hypoxia in advanced cases and flattened diaphragm, on xr
What are differentials of COPD?
asthma, congestive HF, bronchiectasis
What complications are associated with COPD?
cor pulmonale, recurrent pneumonia, depression, respiratory failure
How do you treat COPD?
Treat conservatively with smoking cessation, rehab
- antimuscarinic inhaler (tiotropium bromide) and salbutamol - LABA if needed - corticosteroids
What is asthma and what is its pathology?
Chronic Inflammatory airway disease:
narrowing of airways due to smooth muscle contraction, thickening of wall and secretions within lumen
What are the two types of asthma?
eosinophil and non-eosinophilic asthma
What are precipitating factors for asthma attacks or development?
allergens, cold air, exercise, diet, pollution, anxiety, drugs or occupational exposure
what is the timeline of an asthma attack?
bronchoconstriction after 30 min, constriction decreases and inflammation starts after 3 hours, eosinophils and full inflammation after 6 hours
What are RF for asthma?
history of atopy, family history, obesity, polluted environment, premature birth, socio-economic deprivation
How does asthma present?
episodic wheezing and breathlessness, cough, sputum and symptoms can be worse at night
During an attack: chest expansion is reduced, prolonged expiration, wheezing
what tests do you order for asthma?
peak flow expiratory rate, FEV1/FVC ratio, cxr, FBC, exercise test, spirometry, exhaled nitric oxide (measures eosinophil inflammation)
How is asthma classified based on PFER?
- mild: 50-75% and increase in symptoms
- severe: 33-50%, RR above 25, HR above 110, can’t complete sentence 1 breath
- life threatening: below 33%, hypotension, change in consciousness, silent chest
What are differentials of asthma?
COPD, large airway obstruction, pulmonary oedema
What distinguishes COPD from asthma?
later onset and smokers, less variation, sputum production
How do you manage asthma?
Stepwise approach:
- SABA (salbutamol) when needed: short effect, airway relaxation, also used in acute attacks
- low corticosteroid inhaler (beclometasone): daily, reduce inflammation
- Leukotriene receptor antagonists (montelukast)
- LABA (salmeterol)
- MART regime i.e. combined therapy
- increase steroids
What is small cell lung cancer and what are its features?
Cancer of neuroendocrine cells and arises from central bronchus
- secretes polypeptide hormones
- fast growth and rapid spread
- limited or extensive
- strongly associated with smoking
How does small cell cancer present?
cough, haemoptysis, wheezing, clubbing, recurrent infections, breathlessness
What tests do you order for small cell lung cancer?
cxr and CT, bronchoscopy, FBC
How do you treat small cell carcinoma?
Surgery usually not curative and usually relapses
- limited: chemo and radiation - extensive: chemo, pleural drainage, endobronchial therapy to treat narrowing
What types of cancer fall under non-small cell and what are the features?
- Squamous cell: of epithelial cells and can produce keratin, central airways, smoking associated
- Adenocarcinoma: most common, mucus secreting glandular cells, central or peripheral and usually single lesion, no smoking association
- Large cell: poorly differentiated and throughout lungs, if its not one of the others
How does non small cell present?
cough, haemoptysis, hoarseness, chest pain, weight loss and neurological symptoms
What tests do you order for non small cell?
fine needle aspiration , cxr and CT
How do you treat non small cell?
- Surgery if no metastases but can still reoccur
- chemo and radio
What is mesothelioma and what are the features?
Tumour of mesothelial cells of the pleura from asbestos exposure
- chronic inflammation and oxidative stress lead to high grade malignancy - starts as nodules and extends as a sheet: spreads around pleural surfaces and can invade chest wall, nerves and lymphatics
what is the aetiology of mesothelioma?
asbestos exposure (latent period), radiotherapy and genetics
what are Fr for mesothelioma?
male, 40-70, asbestos, radiation
How does mesothelioma present?
chest pain, dyspnoea, weight loss, clubbing, recurrent pleural effusions