Respiratory emergencies Flashcards
What nerves are involved in resp physiology?
- Ventral respiratory groups and dorsal respiratory groups which send impulses to diaphragm and intercostal muscles
- C3, C4, C5
What questions should be asked with SOB?
- Onset: acute, subacute, chronic
- Duration
- Character: air hunger, wheeze
- Triggers: exertion, exercise, laying flat
- Night time symptoms: orthopnoea, wheeze, daytime fatigue
- Exercise tolerance: how far can you walk? MRC breathlessness scale
- Associated symptoms: cough, wheeze, chest pain, palpitations
- Social History
What is a tension pnuemothorax?
life threatening condition defined as air trapped in pleural cavity under positive pressure, causing cardiopulmonary compromise (air can get in but can’t get out)
What is the treatment for tension pneumothorax?
- Emergency needle decompression
- High flow oxygen
- Chest drain
Where is the needle inserted for tension penumothorax?
insert into second intercostal space at mid-clavicular line
What is a pulmonary embolism?
-venous thrombi that pass into the pulmonary circulation causing occlusion
-normally arise from DVTs
Perfusion mismatch
What are RF for PE?
- Immobilisation
- Malignancy
- Recent surgery
- HRT/COCP
- Thrombophilias
What is gold standard for diagnosing PE?
CT pulmonary angiogram
What else can be used to diagnose PE?
- Ventilation/perfusion Scan (V/Q scan): will demonstrate perfusion defects and a V/Q mismatch (if preggers so can’t have CT)
- Using scoring tools to help your diagnosis e.g. Wells score and Geneva score
What is the management of a PE if they are haemdynamically unstable?
- Call for help
- Oxygen, fluids
- Admit for urgent thrombolysis: local or systemic
- Or percutaneous embolectomy
What is the management of PE if not haemodynamically unstable?
Risk stratification:
- Hestia score
- PE severity index (PESI)
- Simplified pulmonary embolism severity index (sPESI)
What is the management of PE if moderate to high risk?
- Admit to hospital + commence LMWH
2. Give oxygen if hypoxic
What is the management of PE if low risk?
- Discharge with high dose LMWH (cancer) or DOAC and warfarin for 3 months and outpatient follow up for monitoring
- If unprovoked, investigate cause
What may you see on the X ray in pulmonary oedema?
A- alveolar oedema (bat wing opacities) B- Kerley B lines C-cardiomegaly D- dilated upper lobe vessels E-pleural effusion
What is acute pulmonary oedema?
Defined as accumulation of fluid within the lung parenchyma, resulting in impaired gaseous exchange
What are causes and examples of acute pulmonary oedema?
- Cardiogenic: heart failure, arrhythmia, MI
- Renal: acute, serve kidney failure
- ARDS: caused by lung injury e.g. infection (COVID)
Different causes may mean different treatment approaches - treat the cause
What is the management of acute cardiogenic pulmonary oedema?
- ABCDE and position upright
1. Give oxygen if hypoxic
2. High dose IV diuretics: furosemide bolus
3. Treat cause e.g. beta blockers for arrhythmia
4. Re-assess
What happens if they improve for this intial treatment of acute cardiogenic pulmonary oedema?
- Regular diuretics
- Fluid restriction
- Daily weight: lose 1kg a day (1L)
What happens if they do not improve for this intial treatment of acute cardiogenic pulmonary oedema?
- Consider nitrate infusion (e.g. GTN) if systolic BP>100mmhg
- If not work consider CPAP (recruits alveoli and drives fluid out of alveolar spaces)
What is asthma?
Chronic, inflammatory airway disease characterised by reversible airways obstruction
What is the defintion of a moderate asthma attack?
- PEF at 50-75% of best or predicted
2. No signs of severe asthma
What is the definition of severe asthma attack?
- PEF at 33-50% of best or predicted
- Respiratory rate >25/min
- Heart rate >110/min
- Inability to complete sentences in one breath
What acronym is used to find out about life threatening asthma?
CHEST