The breathless patient Flashcards

1
Q

Name the respiratory causes of breathlessness

A

Asthma
COPD
Pneumonia
Lung cancer

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2
Q

Name the cardiovascular causes of breathlessness

A

Heart failure
pulmonary oedema
Pulmonary embolism
AF

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3
Q

Other causes of breathlessness

A
Obesity 
Anaemia
Pneumothorax 
Panic attacks 
Iatrogenic - caused by medical treatment e.g beta blockers 
Choking
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4
Q

What does digital clubbing indicate?

A

Lung cancer
Bronchiectasis
Pulmonary fibrosis
Cardiavascular disease

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5
Q

What is cyanosis?

A

Bluing of the fingers and lips due to hypoxia

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6
Q

what is ventilation/perfusion matching ?

A

99mTc albumin (radioactively tagged protein binds to blood )

Xenon-133 gas is inhaled

Used to detect where the gas and blood flows ; they should be perfectly matched

Pulmonary embolism is detected by a mismatch

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7
Q

Pneumonia

A

Inflammation of alveoli due to bacterial or viral infection

Fluid accumulates in the alveoli and impairs gaseous exchange

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8
Q

Pleural rub

A

Inflammation of pleura

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9
Q

wheezing upon expiration indicates

A

COPD or asthma

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10
Q

Early Inspiratory crackles are associated with

A

airway disease such as chronic bronchitis ; the crackles are caused by large airways

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11
Q

late inspiratory crackles are associated with

A

pneumonia, congestive heart failure, pulmonary oedema, bronchiectasis

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12
Q

Chronic heart failure (also known as congestive heart failure)
What is it
Causes
Symptoms

A

Cardiac output insufficient for bodies needs

Due to left ventricular failure from damage to heart from CAD, excessive alcohol/smoking/infection

Symptoms - pulmonary oedema, sensation of drowning (cardiac asthma), breathless on lying down
which is relived by sitting up (orthopnoea), inspiritory crackles, leg swelling

Fluid accumulation occurs due to congestion of capillaries

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