Respiratory exam Flashcards
What would you look for at the end of the bed in a respiratory examination?
- General appearance - well/unwell/distressed/dyspnoeic
- Accessory muscle use and pursed-lip breathing
- Nutritional status and cachexia
- Oxygen, fluid and medications
- Look inside sputum pot
What is pursed-lip breathing a sign of?
Lower airway obstruction, often COPD
What is cachexia a sign of?
COPD and malignancy
What would you describe about sputum?
Purulence, colour, presence of blood
What would you look for in the hands during a respiratory examination?
- Peripheral cyanosis
- Temperature
- Dilated veins
- Tar staining and coal dust tattoos
- 1st web space wasting
What causes peripheral cyanosis?
PVD
Raynaud’s
CCF
What causes dilated veins?
Hypercapnia
What does mining increase the risk of?
Pneumoconiosis
What is 1st web space wasting a sign of?
Pancoast tumour, T1 lesion
What would you look for in the nails during a respiratory examination?
- Clubbing
2. Koilonychia
What are respiratory causes of clubbing?
Cancer, IDL, suppurative lung disease
Why is koilonychia important in a respiratory context?
Anaemia is a cause of shortness of breath
What would you look for in the wrists during a respiratory examination?
- Flapping tremor
- Physiological tremor
- Respiratory rate
- Heart rate and volume
What is a flapping tremor a sign of?
Respiratory failure (CO2 retention)
Liver failure (hepatic encephalopathy, acute liver disease)
Renal failure
Wilson’s disease
What is physiological tremor a sign of?
Beta2 agonist medication (salbutamol)
When is the volume of a radial pulse bounding?
Hypercapnia
And tachycardia in B2-agonist use
What would you look for in the face during a respiratory examination?
Cushingoid appearance
What is part of a Cushingoid appearance?
Moon face
Acne
Hirsute
What is a Cushingoid appearance a sign of?
Longterm steroid use
What would you look for in the eyes during a respiratory examination?
Conjunctival pallor for anaemia (SoB)
Horner’s (pancoast tumour)
What are the parts of Horner’s?
Ptosis - drooping of upper eyelid
Miosis - pupil constriction
Anhydrosis - no tears