Respiratory pathophys. part 2 Flashcards
risk factors for asthma
Host factors: genetic, gender (F), obesity
Environmental factors: allergens, occupational sensitizers, tobacco smoke, air pollution, respiratory infections (RSV), diet (low Vit. D)
asthma (defn)
chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways,
(typically eosinophilic inflamm)
–> recurrent episodes of wheezing, chest tightness, cough,
*usually reversible, BUT can get remodeling(!)
Th1 vs. Th2 asthma phenotype
Th1: get Sx young, but go away (rural, have siblings, go to daycare, etc)
Th2: get asthma older & it stays (urban, more antibiotics, less trigger exposure when young)
Major cell types involved in asthma
Inflammatory: Eosinophils, mast cells, Th2
Structural: epithelial, sm. muscle, and endothelial, etc.
low V/Q vs. shunt
Low V/Q: decreased ventilation to that alveolus, but may be normal elsewhere. CAN correct PCO2 AND PO2 with adding O2.
Shunt: completely blocked ventilation to that alveolus, but may be normal elsewhere. CanNOT correct PO2 (but can PCO2) with adding O2.
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
- Acute (within 7 days)
- bilateral infiltrates on CXR
- infiltrates not fully explained by heart failure of fluid overload
- hypoxia (use PaO2/FiO2 to rate severity)
Pathogenesis of pneumonia (4 types)
- pneumonia = infection of lung tissue
1. aspiration (most common cause)
2. aerosol
3. hematogenous
4. reactivation
Aspiration pneumonia
something goes down wrong way & causes infection;
- requires abnormal host or abnormal flora **
from:
- requires abnormal host or abnormal flora **
- oropharyngeal secretions (#1)
- stomach contents
- foreign body
respiratory characteristics of abnormal host:
- Impaired airway/mucociliary clearance
- poor cough: COPD, EtOH, neuro disease, lung cancer;
- bad cilia: kartagener’s, immotile cilia syndrome, viral inf, CF - medications
- - antipsychotics, antacids, inhaled corticosteroids
most common bacteria causing pneumonia (5)
(for community-acquired pneumonia)
- S. pneumonia - H. influenzae
- S. aureus - Mycoplasma
- legionella *aerobic gram neg. bacteria
Diagnosis of pneumonia
1: abnormal CXR (esp. compared to previous x-ray for that person) ** help distinguish from bronchitis **
- or CT scan
- Use history to understand exposures!
- Antigen tests (pneumococcus, influenza, legionella)
- Culture sputum, etc – only if likely severe, should not delay antibiotic start
- Use history to understand exposures!
Empiric therapy for pneumonia in OUTpatients
Low resistance risk: macrolide (antibiotic)
High resistance risk: macrolide + beta lactam or fluoroquinolone, for 5+ days
Empiric pneumonia therapy in Inpatients or non-Psuedomonas ICU
Inpt: Fluoroquinolone OR beta lactam + macrolide
ICU: beta lactam + macrolide or fluoroquinolone
Empiric therapy in ICU pts w/ possible pseudomonas
Anti-pseudomonal + ciprofloxacin
- be wary of other causes of pneumonia-like Sxs!!!
- -> take step back and reassess if not getting better!
Virchow’s triad
=> increase risk for thrombus formation: (can lead to PE)
- venous stasis
- endothelial damage
- hypercoagulability
imaging used to prove DVT
- venography (w/ contrast, CT)
- doppler ultrasound
Imaging used to prove Pulmonary Embolism
- pulmonary angiography (w/ contrast)
- ventilation-perfusion lung scan
- CT angiography
- MRI
- Need clinical insight (Hx, etc) along w/ imaging to make Dx**
Common sources for emboli (sites)
(usually Deep Vein Thrombosis - DVT)
- External iliac v.
- superficial femoral v.
- deep femoral v.
- popliteal v.
- posterior tibial v.
Westermark’s Sign
Xray finding indicating pulmonary embolism;
= localized oligemia w/ proximal pulmonary artery enlargement.
(rare, but classic if seen)
Hampton’s Hump
Xray finding indicative of pulmonary embolism,
= localized pleural triangular density.
–> = visualization of infarcted tissue from PE.
(rare, but classic if seen)
type of effusion found w/ pulmonary embolism
not always w/ PE, but if so, will be:
small, hemorrhagic exudative effusion.
typical ABG (blood gas) levels in Pulmonary Embolism
- hyperventilation
- low PaCO2
- PaO2 normal OR low
(WARNING: can have 100% normal ABG w/ PE!)
Utility of V/Q scan in diagnosing PE
normal V/Q scan EXCLUDES pulmonary embolism;
abnormal is not diagnostic (not specific).
Utility of D-dimer test in diagnosing pulmonary embolism
if low clinical suspicion of PE: normal D-dimer excludes PE;
otherwise not specific/diagnostic
Common ECG findings w/ pulmonary embolism
- R ventricular dilation & hypokinesis
- Intraventricular septal shift (bulges away from RV)
(3. “clots en passage” = clots sitting in heart RA, waiting to travel to lungs)
Therapies for pulmonary embolism (what, why, when)
1. Anti-coagulation (Heparin 1st, then warfarin/indraparinux)
*start empirically! 2. Thrombolysis (tPA or urokinase) - esp. if hypotensive or hemodynamically unstable, BUT has risk of intracranial hemorrhage! 3. Surgical thrombectomy or umbrella - if contraindication to anti-coag, or recurrence on anti-coag.
Main strategies for prevention of pulmonary embolisms
#1: Early ambulation after surgery/hospitalization 2. prophylactic anti-coagulation if moderate risk (ie: after surgery)
Bronchiectasis
Chronic dilation of bronchi/bronchioles, with airway wall thickening from inflammation or obstruction.
Sx: chronic cough, excess sputum, recurrent chest infections, malaise
Dx: chest CT, obstructive PFT
Definition of pulmonary hypertension
mean pulmonary artery pressure > 25 mmHg at rest.
2 parts of lung circulation
(dual vasculature)
- Bronchial circulation (from aorta)
- Pressure: systemic; Compliance: low
- Pulmonary circulation (from pulmonary a.)
- Pressure: low; Compliance: high
* minimal change in pressures w/ exercise*
- Pressure: low; Compliance: high
pathological changes w/ pulmonary hypertension
- affected pulmonary arteries thicken & constrict
- UNaffected pulmonary arteries dilate bc increased BF
- R ventricle dilates & hypertrophies (bc increased pressure)