Respiratory System Disorders Flashcards
Define asthma
Chronic inflammation of the airway, characterised by intermittent airway obstruction and hyper-reactivity - constriction of the bronchioles
State 2 risk factors of asthma
Family history
Allergens/irritants
Explain the pathophysiology of asthma
- Insulting environment culprit
- Genetic disposition
- Hyperresponsive and inflammatory pathway
- AW remodelling
What is COPD
Caused by 2 main primary players - chronic bronchitis and emphysema
Describe the pathophysiology of COPD
- There’s a genetic susceptibility and environmental insult to lungs
- Leads to lung inflammation
- Branches to chronic bronchitis and emphysema
- Increase of inflammatory cells and mucus
- Becomes trapped in airway and a spot for infections to breed
- Chronic bronchitis and emphysema = COPD
Hypoxic drive - think hypercapnia
What is hypercapnia
Hypercapnia - build up of carbondioxide in the blood stream
- VQ mismatch
- Hypercapnia
- Haldane effect
How long should COPD patients be nebuliser for
6 mins on and 6 mins off
Define pneumothorax
Accumulation of air in the pleural space
What are the risk factors of a pneumothorax
Smokers Tall and slender Asthma COPD Chest trauma TB Cystic fibrosis
Explain lung pressures
Intrapleural pressure is always negative/lower
This is important because when there is an opening from lungs to intrapleural space there is a change in pressure, gases move from high to low so gas would move into intrapleural space and measures will become equal –> this will then cause symptoms of pneumothorax
Explain the pathophysiology of a pneumothorax
- Communication is developed between alveolar and pleural space
- There is initial pressure different, pressure in always negative in intrapleural space compared to the pressure in alveoli
- Gas then enters the space and there’s a pressure increase
- As a result there’s symptoms of a pneumothorax
- Decreased lung compliance thus increased breathing
What is the pathophysiology of a tension pneumothroax
Air enters the space but cannot leave and this causes increased pressure in the injured lung
What are the signs and symptoms of a pneumothorax
Hypotension
Tachycardia
Low sp02
Tachypnoea
What is pneumonia
Inflammation of the lungs usually caused by an infection
What are the signs and symptoms of pneumonia
Cough
DIB
Pyrexia
Chest pain
How is pneumonia treated?
Anti-biotics, severe pneumonia may need to be treated in hospital
What is a pulmonary embolism
Blood clot that develops in a blood vessel in the body, it then travels to a lung artery where it blocks blood flow
What is Virchow’s triad?
Helps us to identify the 3 main factors to understand why a blood clot develops in the deep veins
We can look at the risk factors in virchows triad and take preventative measures
What are the 3 main factors of Virchows triad
- Vessel wall injury - endothelial cell damages - thrombus formation
- Stasis - poor blood flow and stasis promote the formation of thrombi - vascular damage
- Hypercoagulability - cancer, high-oestrogen states, inflammatory bowel disease, sepsis, blood transfusion
State risk factors of a pulmonary embolism
Recent surgery Obstetrics Lower limb Malignancy Immobilisation Age
Describe the pathophysiology of a PE
- Virchows triad
- Forms a thrombus
- A thrombus then gets dislodged
- Then migrates up to the inferior vena cava
- Finds itself in pulmonary vasculature
- Signs and symptoms - decrease of perfusion leads to ischaemia
