UWorld Pulm crit Flashcards
What is likely in a postoperative patient with hypotension, jugular venous distension, and new-onset right bundle branch block***
- masssive PE
- RBBB is a sign of right heart strain
Describe the use of diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO) in determining the cause of COPD?
- Low: emphysema
- Normal: Chronic bronchitis, asthma
- High: Asthma
Describe the difference on chest x-ray between chronic bronchitis and emphysema?
- Chronic bronchitis: prominent bronchovascular markings and a mildly flattened diaphragm
- Emphysema: decreased vascular markings and hyperinflated lungs
Panacinar emphysema is typical of what disease process?
-Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency
Centriacinar emphysema is typical of what disease process
Smoking induced COPD
A patient with recurrent episodes of dyspnea, fever, tenacious sputum production, and hemoptysis along with a physical exam finding of crackles and digital clubbing, is consistent with an exacerbation of what?
bronchiectasis
Describe the pathophysiology of bronchiectasis?
- Infectious insult PLUS impaired bacterial clearance –>
- Bacterial overgrowth–> neutrophil infiltration –> inflammation –> Tissue damage and structural airway changes
In a young patient, the underlying etiology of bronchiectasis is most likely what?
- Cystic fibrosis
- defective chloride and sodium transport –> thick secretions –> impaired mucociliary clearance —> neutrophil recruitment and excessive release of elastase
What organism is a characteristic finding in Cystic fibrosis?
-Pseudomonas aeruginosis
what is normal jugular distension?
-< 10 cm H2O
This can be seen in middle aged patients, and it presents with exertional breathlessness. Lungs will be clear to auscultation. Chest x-ray would show enlargement of the pulmonary arteries with rapid tapering of the distal vessels (pruning) and enlargement of the right ventricle
Primary pulmonary HTN
In a patient with PE . . . Low-molecular weight heparin (enoxaparin), fondaparinux (injection factor Xa inhibitor), and rivaroxaban (oral factor Xa inhibitor) cannot be used in what patients?
-those with severe renal insufficiency (estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30) as reduced renal clearance increases anti-Xa activity levels and bleeding risk
in patient with PE, what anticoagulation is recommended in patients with decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate ?
unfractionated heparin
in a patient with a PE, when is warfarin initiated?
-once the heparin produces therapeutic anticoagulation (goal PTT >1.5-2 times normal)
What is the gold standard for diagnosis of cor pulmonale?
right heart cath
Patients with an acute asthma exacerbation usually have respiratory alkalosis with a low PaCO2 due to hyperventilation. A normal or elevated PaCO2 is alarming and extremely important finding that suggests what?
impending respiratory failure
What is the most efficient test to differentiate asthma and COPD
- Spirometry before and after administration of a bronchodilator (usually albuterol)
- Patients with asthma should show significant reversal (>12% increase in FEV1) in airway obstruction after
What has demonstrated prolonged survival and improved quality of life in patients with COPD with significant chronic hypoxemia?
-Long term supplemental oxygen therapy
Chronic low back pain in an otherwise young healthy man, pain at night, improvement of pain with activity, and elevated ESR are suggestive of ankylosing spondylitis. Patients with this can develop limitations in lung expansion due to what?
-diminished chest wall and spinal mobility
In a patient with mild asthma what medication is first added when albuterol is not enough?
inhaled corticosteroids
Due to evidence of increased mortality as well as treatment failure in asthmatic patients on long-acting beta-2 agonist monotherapy, the addition of a LABA is indicated only in combo with what?
Inhaled corticosteroids
Theophylline has a narrow therapeutic index, and toxicity can occur from accumulation by reduced clearance or decreased metabolism due to saturation of metabolic pathways. what are the symptoms of toxicity?
- CNS stimulation (headache, insomnia, seizures)
- GI (nausea, vomiting)
- Cardiac toxicity (arrhythmia)
What diseases and drugs can inhibit the cytochrome oxidase system and lead to possible theophylline toxicity?
- illnesses: cirrhosis, cholestasis, respiratory infections with fever
- drugs: cimetidine, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, clarithromycin, verapamil
which lung cancer? PTHrP —> hypercalcemia
Squamous cell carcinom
Which lung cancer? ACTH production, SIADH
Small cell carcinoma
Most patients with ARDS require mechanical ventilation with what goals?
- lung protection: low tidal volume decreases overdistention of alveoli . . . improves mortality in patients with ARDS *****
- adequate oxygenation: high PEEP, goal is arterial partial pressure PaO2 at 55-80 or peripheral saturation SpO2 at 88%-95% . . preventing SpO2 < 88%.
progressive hypoxemia is common in patients with advanced COPD, and studies have shown survival benefit of long-term home oxygen therapy in those with significant chronic hypoxemia. The criteria for initiating long term home oxygen therapy in COPD patients includes what?
- PaO2 <55 or SaO2 <88%***
- PaO2 <59 or SaO2 <89 in patients with cor pulmonale, evidence of right heart failure, or hematocrit >55%
Bacterial pneumonia often causes a pleural effusion. Typically, the effusion is small, sterile, free-flowing, and resolves with antibiotics (uncomplicated). However, if bacterial persistently invade the pleural space, a complicated parapneumonic effusion or empyema may develop. Patients with these pleural space infection tend to have continued symptoms (fever, pleuritic pain) despite adequate antibiotics. Chest x-ray often shows loculation (walled-off pleural fluid). Thoracentesis will show an exudative effusion characterized by what values?
- Low glucose (<60) due to consumption by activated neutrophils and bacterial
- Low pH (<7.2) due to anaerobic utilization of glucose by neutrophils and bacteria
- High protein due to increased microvascular permeability and cellular destruction