Respiratory - History, Examination and Bedside Tests Flashcards
Respiratory History
PC/HPC
- Specific respiratory symptoms
- General symptoms which can point to respiratory disease - positives and negatives
PMH/DH
SH
FH
System Rv
ICE
Symptoms of Respiratory Disease (6)
Breathlessness (Dyspnoea)
Cough (Dry or productive)
Sputum (Colour, quantity)
Haemoptysis
Wheeze
Pain
FY1 in Ambulatory medical unit - asked to see a 64 yo man who has been referred by GP with progressive breathlessness
PC
HPC, review of systems
PMH, medication, Drug allergies
Social Hx, Family Hx
What Qs are important?
How long have you been breathless for?
Is it getting worse?
Anything that makes it worse?
Can you still do usual activities?
Pillows at night?
Chest pain?
Cough? Sputum?
Weight loss?
Fever?
Smoker?
Any other health conditions?
Any recent surgery?
Any regular medication?
Any known allergies?
Up to date on vaccinations?
Hay fever or eczema?
Do you work? What occupation?
Alcohol intake?
FH - any relevant?
Whos at home with you?
FY1 in Ambulatory medical unit - asked to see a 64 yo man who has been referred by GP with progressive breathlessness
History so far:
- SOB for 3 months (walking dog), worse over last week (Stopped walking dog), recent cold, no sputum
No chest pain, fevers, weight loss, haempotysis
No ankle swelling, orthopneoa or PND
Smoker
Differentials?
COPD
Pleural effusion
Heart failure
SOB - Heart, Lungs, Blood
Heart
- Decreased CO
- Inability to respond to exercise
Lungs
- Hypoxia
- Increased effort to maintain SpO2
- Inability to respond to exercise
Blood (anaemia)
Metabolic - such as DKA
Brain/Psych (inappropriate hyperventilation) - at rest; on exertion
Breathlessness: Onset and Partial Causes
Sudden ?
Over hours ?
Days ?
Weeks ?
Months ?
Years ?
Sudden - PE, Pneumonia
Over hours - Asthma, pneumonia, LVF
Days - Pneumonia, LVF
Weeks - Pleural effusion, anaemia
Months - Tumours, ILD, Muscle weakness
Years - COPD, ILD, muscle weakness
Calcification on diaphragm?
exposed to asbestos (ILD)
Cough - the most common respiratory symptom; a normal protective mechanism
Which q’s to ask?
Is the patient a smoker?
Acute infection?
Productive?
What drugs are they taking? (ACEi?)
When does the cough happen?
Hx/evidence of asthma?
Hx of acid reflux?
Complications?
Haemoptysis - coughing blood always abnormal
What are the most significant causes?
PE
Lung cancer
TB
alarming for patients but usually not severe
rarely life threatening but can be
Wheeze - due to fast air flow through narrowed airways
Usually is …, diffuse and polyphonic
Sometimes … and monophonic
Wheeze - due to fast air flow through narrowed airways
Usually is expiratory, diffuse and polyphonic - asthma and COPD
Sometimes inspiratory and monophonic - if large central airway is narrowed - e.g by tumour
Wheeze - due to fast air flow through narrowed airways
Usually is …, diffuse and polyphonic
Sometimes … and monophonic
Wheeze - due to fast air flow through narrowed airways
Usually is expiratory, diffuse and polyphonic - asthma and COPD
Sometimes inspiratory and monophonic - if large central airway is narrowed - e.g by tumour
What is stridor?
Different to wheeze
harsh inspiratory noise
high pitch
obstructed airway indicated
emergency - ENT
Chest pain - diseases in lung itself are usually painless, but …
pleuritic pain - sharp, worse on breathing -e.g. pneumonia/pleurisy
Chest wall pain - localised pain and tenderness due to bone, muscle or nerve involvement e.g. rib fracture
General Resp symptoms:
Weight loss is non-specific but important symptom of lung cancer and TB
Fever and riggers may indicate pneumonia even without standard symptoms
PMH - RESP
TB
Pneumonia and pleurisy
Childhood infections - e.g. severe measles, whooping cough
Wheezing, bronchitis, asthma in childhood
hay fever, eczema
Severe prematurity
Injury to the chest
Any recent major surgery (Especially orthopaedic), medical illness leading to immobility or pregnancy
previous X-ray