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Respiratory Emergencies Flashcards

1
Q

Wheezing

A
  • lower airway sound
  • high pitches whistling sound
  • Narrowing of the bronchi and bronchioles
  • Heard in asthma and many other respiratory diseases
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2
Q

Rhonchi

A
  • lower airway sounds
  • snoring or rattling noise
  • Obstruction of the larger airways, snot
  • Often heard in pneumonia
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3
Q

Crackles

A
  • Lower airway sounds
  • Aka rales
  • Bubbling or crackling sound
  • Fluid in the small bronchioles and alveoli
  • Heard in congestive heart failure (CHF)
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4
Q

Respiratory distress

A
  • A Pt who is having difficulty breathing, but has adequate tidal volume and RR
  • Can usually be treated (Rx) with a Non Rebreather (NRB) or Nasal cannula
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5
Q

Respiratory Failure

A
  • Pt’s tidal volume,RR, or respiratory status becomes inadequate.
  • Will often need to be Rx with BVM when RR becomes unstable <10 or <22.
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6
Q

Respiratory Arrest

A
  • Breathing effort ceases completely (apnea)
  • Can lead to cardiac arrest in minutes.
  • Respiratory comprise is a common cause of cardiac arrest in infants and children.
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7
Q

Dyspnea

A

Shortness of breath (SOB)

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8
Q

Hypoxemia

A

Decreased O2 in the bloodstream

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9
Q

Hypoxia

A
  • Cells not receiving adequate O2

- Earliest sign is anxiety

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10
Q

Signs of Respiratory distress

A
  • complaining of SOB
  • Restless
  • Increased pulse rate
  • change in RR
  • skin changes, pale lack of perfusion, cyanotic lack of O2 in blood.
  • O2 sat <95%
  • ALOC
  • Unable to speak
  • TRIPOD position
  • AMU , ABDM breathing
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11
Q

Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases

A
  • Emphysema
  • Chronic Bronchitis
  • Asthma
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12
Q

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

A
  • Emphysema
  • Chronic Bronchitis
  • Chronic diseases that continue to progress
  • Reverses the Respiratory drive- drive dependent on decreased O2 levels
  • Pt may have a MDI. EMT’s may assist
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13
Q

Emphysema

A
  • Permanent destruction of the alveolar walls
  • Smoking is #1 cause
  • Destruction of surfactant that keeps lung tissue elastic
  • Dried out airways make exhalation difficult. Air trapping occurs.
  • Leads to expansion of the chest wall producing a barrel shaped appearance.
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14
Q

Emphysema S/Sx

A
  • Thin barreled chest
  • Pursed lip breathing
  • Long exhalation periods
  • Pink complexion
  • “pink puffers”
  • wheezes, possibly, rhonchi
  • Tripod
  • Extreme SOB
  • Using O2
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15
Q

Emphysema Rx

A
  • Sit up in Fowler’s position
  • Supplemental O2- 15lpm via NRB
  • Assist with MDI
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16
Q

Chronic Bronchitis

A
  • Primary effects the Bronchi and Bronchioles
  • A persistent productive cough lasting for 3 months in 2 consecutive years
  • Inflammation, swelling, and thickening of bronchial walls
  • Excessive mucus production
  • # 1 cause smoking
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17
Q

Chronic Bronchitis S/Sx

A
  • Overweight
  • Cyanotic complexion
  • “Blue Bloaters”
  • Vigorous productive cough
  • Rhonchi breath sounds
  • Frequent Respiratory infections
  • Accessory Muscle Use (AMU)
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18
Q

Chronic Bronchitis Rx

A
  • Sitting up, Fowler’s position
  • Supplemental O2 - 15lpm via NRB
  • Rapid Tx
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19
Q

Asthma

A
  • Increased sensitivity of the lower airways to irritants
  • Causes bronchospasms constriction of smooth muscles in the bronchioles
  • Edema- swelling of the inner lining of the airways
  • Increased mucus production
  • Reversible
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20
Q

Asthma EXTRINSIC

A

Allergic reaction cause by an outside allergen most common in children

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21
Q

Asthma INTRINSIC

A

Non-allergic reaction caused by infection, emotional or physical stress, more common in adults.

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22
Q

An asthma attack that cannot be broken by normal meds is considered?

A

Status Asthmaticus

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23
Q

Asthma S/Sx

A
  • Dyspnea/SOB
  • Non-productive cough
  • Wheezing
  • Increased RR-Tachypnea
  • Increased HR
  • Possible Sx allergic reaction
  • Anxiety/Restless
  • AMU
  • O2 sat 95%
24
Q

Severe asthma S/Sx

A
  • Fatigue/Exhaustion
  • Unable to speak
  • Cyanosis to the core of the body
  • HR >150
  • Absent breath sounds AKA “silent chest”
  • Diaphoresis-moist skins
  • confusion-ALOC
  • AMU
25
Mild Asthma Rx
- Fowler’s position-sitting up - Assist MDI( wheezing may become more pronounced after MDI use but that is a good thing) - O2 15lpm via NRB - Rapid Tx
26
Acute asthma Rx
- Fowler’s position-sitting up - Assist with positive pressure ventilations using BVM - Assist with MDI - Rapid Tx
27
Pneumonia
- Common cause of death in elderly - HIV Pt’s prone to pneumonia - Acute infection cause by bacterium or a virus - Affects lower airway - Lung inflammation - Fluid or puss filled alveolar sacks - Can also cause by inhalation of toxins or vomit - Leads to poor gas exchange - Hypoxia
28
Pneumonia S/Sx
- Malaise decreased appetite - Fever - Cough - Dyspnea/SOB - Productive cough - Rhonchi /wheezes - Hypotension - AMU
29
Pneumonia Rx
- Fowler’s position-sitting up - O2 15lpm via NRB - Rapid Tx
30
Pulmonary Embolism
-Obstruction of blood flow in the pulmonary arteries that leads to hypoxia
31
Pt’s risk for pulmonary embolism (PE)
- Bedridden for long periods - Heart disease - Recent surgery - BC pills - Long bone Fracture - Recent childbirth - Clotting disorders - smokers
32
What happens during Pulmonary embolism ?
- The embolism prevents blood from flowing to the lungs - interrupts gas exchange - Leads to hypoxia - Severity based on the size of embolism
33
Pulmonary Embolism S/Sx
- Sudden unexplained onset of SOB or sudden onset of pin point Chest Pain(CP) - Normal clear lung sounds - Cough-may cough up blood - cyanosis - anxiety - ALOC - AMU - O2 sat <95%
34
Pulmonary Embolism Rx
- Fowler’s position - O2 15lpm via NRB - PPV with BVM as needed - Rapid Tx
35
Pulmonary Edema
- Excessive amounts of fluid collect between the alveoli and capillaries - Most common in PT’s with congestive heart failure (CHF) - Reduces surface area of contact between capillaries and alveoli reducing gas exchange.
36
Pulmonary edema S/Sx
- Dyspnea - pink frothy sputum - Difficulty breathing when lying down, orthopnea - Increased HR - Tripod Position - Crackles/Rales LS - swollen lower extremities - Anxiety
37
Pulmonary edema Rx
- Fowler’s position - feet dangling - O2 15lpm via NRB - PPV with BVM - Rapid Tx
38
Spontaneous Pneumothorax
- Sudden rupture of a portion of the visceral lining of the lung - Non traumatic - Males 5x more likely to have one - Tall, thin, and lanky 20-40 years old - COPD Pt’s likely
39
What happens during a spontaneous pneumothorax ?
- Air enters the plural cavity - Disrupts normal negative pressure - Allows lung to collapse
40
Spontaneous pneumothorax S/Sx
- Sudden onset of SOB - Sharp Chest Pain or shoulder pain - Decreased or absent LS on one side - Increased HR - Cyanosis - AMU - Tracheal shift(Late sign) - Subcutaneous Emphysema
41
Spontaneous pneumothorax Rx
- Fowler’s position - O2 15lpm via NRB - PPV with BVM - Rapid Tx
42
Hyperventilation syndrome
- “panic attacks” - Pt emotionally upset - Pt experience not be being able to catch their breath - Pt becomes more anxious - Pt begins to blow off excess amount of CO2 - breaths becomes faster and deeper
43
Hyperventilation syndrome S/Sx
- Anxiety - Increased HR - Increased RR - Dizziness - AMU - Chest Pain - Cardal-pedal spasms - Numbness and tingling in the extremities, and mouth
44
Hyperventilation syndrome Rx
- Reassurance | - Calm them down
45
Epiglottitis
- Inflammation effecting the upper airway - Epiglottis and base of the tongue become inflamed - Airway can become partially or fully occluded - Leads to Respiratory compromise
46
Epiglottitis S/Sx
- Rapid SOB - High fever - Sore throat - unable to swallow/drooling - Anxiety - Trouble speaking - Tripod with jaw jutted out
47
Epiglottitis Rx
- Fowler’s position - O2 15lpm via NRB - PPV via BVM - Rapid Tx
48
Pertussis
- Whooping Cough - Upper airway bacteria - Uncontrolled cough - Mostly children - Starts off as a cold - can lead to pneumonia - Ear infections - Death - 2 weeks after onset coughing episodes of 15-24
49
Pertussis Rx
- Fowler’s position - O2 15lpm via NRB - Rapid Tx
50
Cheyne-Stokes
-Gradually increase and decrease in depth and rate with a period of apnea - Heartfailure - strokes - Traumatic brain injury
51
Kussmaul
- Abnormally slow and deep respirations | - Diabetic Ketoacidosis
52
Liter flow for BVM
15
53
Meds that are delivered thru Metered dose inhaler (MDI)
- metaproterenol - isoetharine - albuterol
54
Meds used for respiratory problems
- alupent - tornalate - Serevent
55
Side effect of prescribed inhalors
Tachycardia
56
Per national registry MDI doses that an EMT can deliver is determined by?
Medical direction
57
Bronchodilators can last up to how many hours?
8

EMT (26 decks)

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