Respiratory Emergencies Flashcards
What are the 3 branches of air exchange in the lungs, and where does the actual exchange take place?
Bronchi (larger)
Bronchioles (smaller)
Alveoli (where actual exchange happens)
Name 5 problems/diseases patients may have that cause dyspnea or hypoxia
- Pulmonary edema
- Hay fever
- Pleural effusion
- Obstruction of airway
- Hyperventilation syndrome
- Environmental/industrial exposure
- Drug overdose
What is hypoxia?
Oxygen becomes insufficient to maintain homeostasis
What is dyspnea?
sensation of running out of air and not being able to breathe fast or deep enough
Name 5 causes of dyspnea
- Gas exchange obstructed
- Damaged alveoli
- Obstructed airway
- Obstructed blood flow to lungs
- Excess fluid in pleural space
What is croup?
inflammation and swelling of pharynx, larynx, and trachea
What is epiglottitis?
Bacterial infection causing inflammation of the epiglottis
What is bronchiolitis?
Viral illness causing bronchioles to become inflamed, swell, and fill with mucus
What is pertussis?
airborne bacterial infection that causes fever and whooping cough in mostly adolescents
What is acute pulmonary edema?
Fluid builds up within alveoli in the lung tissue as a result of congestive heart failure
What is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?
slow process of dilation and disruption of airways and alveoli
What is pneumothorax?
Accumulation of air in pleural space
What is pleural effusion?
Accumulation of fluid outside the lungs
What is pulmonary embolism?
A blood clot that circulates through the venous (veins) system
The process in which oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged in the lungs
is called:
A- Respiration
B- Ventilation
C- Metabolism
D- Inhalation
A- Respiration
Which of the following respiratory diseases causes obstruction of the lower
airway?
A- Croup
B- Asthma
C- Epiglottitis
D- Laryngitis
B- Asthma
Which of the following diseases is potentially drug resistant and is thought to be transmitted by coughing?
A- Tuberculosis
B- Croup
C- Diphtheria
D- Epiglottitis
A- Tuberculosis
All of the following are causes of acute dyspnea, EXCEPT:
A- Asthma
B- Emphysema
C- Pneumothorax
D- Pulmonary embolism
B- Emphysema
Bronchospasm is MOST often associated with:
A- Asthma
B- Bronchitis
C- Pneumonia
D- Pneumothorax
A- Asthma
What is emphysema?
Disease that causes breathlessness, a form of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
A sudden onset of difficulty breathing, sharp chest pain, and cyanosis that
persists despite supplemental oxygen is MOST consistent with:
A- severe pneumonia
B- myocardial infarction
C- pulmonary embolism
D- spontaneous pneumothorax
C- pulmonary embolism
Albuterol, a beta-2 agonist, is the generic name for:
A- Alupent
B- Metaprel
C- Brethine
D- Ventolin
D- Ventolin
An acute bacterial infection that results in swelling of the flap that covers the
larynx during swallowing is called:
A- croup
B- laryngitis
C- epiglottitis
D- diphtheria
C- epiglottitis
A 70-year-old man recently had a heart attack and now complains of severe
difficulty breathing, especially when lying flat. He is coughing up pink, frothy
secretions. This patient is MOST likely experiencing:
A- acute right heart failure
B- severe left heart failure
C- an acute onset of bronchitis
D- an acute pulmonary embolism
B- severe left heart failure
