Week 7 Flashcards
Understand the role of a medical history in making a clinical diagnosis
-Form a differential diagnosis and put health in
context
-Identify risk factors for conditions
- Red flags
-Direct further clinical examination
-Direct investigation and management
-Develop a rapport between patient and health care worker
To understand how different body systems inter-relate
Couple of questions to each remaining system as a quick screening tool
Causes of non-central chest pain?
Pleural:
- Pneumonia/bronchiectasis/TB
- Lung tumours/metastases/mesothelioma
- PE
- Pneumothorax
Chest wall
- Muscular / rib injury
- Costochondritis
- Lung tumour / bony metastases/ mesothelioma
- Shingles (herpes zoster)
Respiratory causes of dyspnoea?
– Airways e.g. asthma, COPD, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, laryngeal tumour, foreign body, lung tumour
– Parenchyma e.g. pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, TB
– Pulmonary circulation e.g. PE
– Pleural e.g. neumothorax , pleural effusion
– Chest wall e.g. kyphoscoliosis, ankylosing spondylitis
– Neuromuscular e.g. myasthenia gravis, Guillain-Barre syndrome
Respiratory causes of dyspnoea?
– Airways e.g. asthma, COPD, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, laryngeal tumour, foreign body, lung tumour
– Parenchyma e.g. pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, TB
– Pulmonary circulation e.g. PE
– Pleural e.g. neumothorax , pleural effusion
– Chest wall e.g. kyphoscoliosis, ankylosing spondylitis
– Neuromuscular e.g. myasthenia gravis, Guillain-Barre syndrome
Cardiovascular causes for dyspnea?
Cardiac failure, associated with angina/MI
Non cardio-respiratory causes f dyspnea?
Anaemia, obesity, hyperventilation, anxiety, metabolic acidosis
Non cardio-respiratory causes f dyspnea?
Anaemia, obesity, hyperventilation, anxiety, metabolic acidosis
Different types of cough?
Acute and chronic
Acute:
– Viral or bacterial infection / pneumonia / inhalation of foreign
body/ irritants
Chronic cough
– Common - gastro-oesophageal reflux / asthma/ COPD / smoking / post-nasal drip / occupational or other irritants /medication (ACEI)
– Less common – lung tumour / bronchiectasis / interstitial lung disease
Red flags for cough?
– Haemoptysis, breathlessness, weight loss, chest pain, smoker
Red flags for cough?
– Haemoptysis, breathlessness, weight loss, chest pain, smoker
Identify the common causes for the following characteristics of cough:
- Productive
- Persistent ‘moist’ cough worst in morning
- Associated with wheeze
- Pain
- Harsh/barking
- Chronic, dry cough
- Persistent with haemoptysis
- ‘Bovine’ cough (non-explosive cough)
Productive - Infection, Bronchiectasis
Persistent ‘moist’ cough worst in morning-COPD
Associated with wheeze-Asthma / COPD,
Painful-Tracheitis
Harsh/ barking-Laryngitis/ laryngeal tumour
Chronic, dry cough-Interstitial lung disease
Persistent with haemoptysis-Bronchial carcinoma
‘Bovine’ cough (non-explosive cough)-Left recurrent laryngeal nerve invasion, (secondary to malignancy), Neuromuscular disorders
Name the appearance and cause for the following types of sputum:
- Serous
- Mucoid
- Purulent
- Rusty
- Serous. Clear, watery, frothy, pink. Cause = Acute pulmonary oedema
- Mucoid. Clear, grey, white, viscid. Cause = COPD/asthma
- Purulent. Yellow, green, brown/ Cause= Infection
- Rusty. Rusty red. Cause= Pneumococcal pneumonia
6 cause of haemoptysis
Malignant, infective, vascular, cardiac, vasculitis
Why ensure accurate mediation history? 6
- Improves patient safety
- Reduces medication errors / near misses
- Reduces missed doses in hospital
- Reduces delays to treatment
- Savings to NHS from prevented errors
- Improves therapeutic outcomes
What are the issues with concordance?
Intentional non-concordance: Definite decision to not take medicines
Unintentional non-concordance. For example due to:
1. Physical dexterity
2. Reduced vision
3. Cognitive impairment
4. Poor understand
6 different types/forms of inhaler
Mdi= Metered dose inhaler Accuhaler Autohaler Easibreathe Handihaler Via spacer/aerochamber
What are the blue and brown inhaler?
Blue= "reliever" e.g. salbutamol (beta-agonist) Brown = "preventer" e.g. Beclomethasone (steroid)
Define Palliative Care
An approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness
Through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems (physical, psychosocial and spiritual)
Discuss the principles of delivering good end of life care
- Open lines of communication
- Anticipating care needs and encouraging discussion
- Effective multidisciplinary team input
- Symptom control - physical and psycho-spiritual (=exacerbates physical symptoms)
- Preparing for death- patient and family
- Providing support for relatives both before and after death
What is advance and anticipatory planning?
Identify areas for discussion during advance and
anticipatory care planning
An ongoing process of discussion between the patient, those close to them and their care providers focusing on their wishes and preferences for their future
Discussion areas:
- Wises/preferences/fears about care
- Emergency preferences (DNR?)
- Preferred place of care
How are the wishes of a patient in advance care decisions formalized?
Formalising wishes:
- Advance statement:
- Advance decision
- Power of attorney
5 priorities of care for dying person
- The possibility that a person may die within the next few days/hours is recognized and communicated clearly
- Sensitive communication takes place between staff and patient/family
- Involvement of patient/family when making decisions about treatment/care
- The needs of families are actively explored, respected and met (if possible)
- Individual plan of care is agreed, co-ordinated and delivered with compassion
Aims of palliative care
- Whole person approach
- Focus on quality of life, including good symptom control
- Care encompassing the person with the life-threatening illness and those that matter to them
In formalizing the patients wishes, what are the features of an advance statement?
- A statement that sets down your preferences, wishes, beliefs and values regarding your future care.
- Will provide guidance if patient were to lose capacity
- Although decisions not bound by statement.
- Treatment must overall benefit to the patient
In formalizing the patients wishes, what are the features of an advance decision?
A decision you can make now to refuse specific treatments in the future
Used in the case that the patient is unable to express/communicate their decision
May be issues around life sustaining treatment (e.g. DNACPR)
Validity and applicability need to be considered.
How is the validity of the advance care plans assessed?
Applicability? Timing? Capacity of patient at time of planning? Informed decision? Undue influences when plan made? Withdrawn decision
4 pro’s and con’s for advance care plans?
PROS
- Enhances autonomy
- May encourage/improve discussions on end-of-life decisions
- Avoid breaching patient’s personal/religious beliefs
- Death with dignity
CONS
- May not be valid
- May not be applicable
- Attitudes may change with onset of serious illness
- May have been advances in medicine since being made
What is the Gold Standard Framework?
Systematic, evidence based approach to optimising care for all patients approaching the end of life, delivered by
generalist frontline care providers
4 principles of care for people in the last days and hours of life
Principle 1: Informative, timely and sensitive communication
Principle 2: Significant decisions about a person’s care are made on the basis of multidisciplinary
discussion
Principle 3: Each individual person’s physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs are recognised and addressed
Principle 4: Consideration is given to the wellbeing of relatives or carers attending the person
What is the basic structure of a respiratory examination?
IIPPAC
Introduction and explanation Inspection: General and Close (hands, face, chest/neck) Palpation Percussion Auscultation Conclusion
What pathological signs should you look out for when performing the general and close inspection in a respiratory examination?
General:
- Nebuliser/inhaler
- Erythema nodosum
Close:
Hands- Flapping tremor, fine termor, tar staining, nail clubbing
Face- Central cyanosis, ruddy complexion due to polycythmaeia, Horner’s syndrome
Neck/chest- Scarring, kyphoscoliosis, SVC obstruction, JVP raised
What are the respiratory causes of clubbing?
Bronchial carcinoma Mesothelioma Chronic suppurative lung disease Pulmonary fibrosis Cystic fibrosis
Horners syndrome:
Caused by?
Clinical features?
Caused by damage to cervical sympathetic nerves
Clinical features:
-Unilateral miosis
-Partial ptosis
-Loss of sweating on same side (ie facial anhidrosis)
What is the cause of fine tremor?
Excessive use of B-agonists
What is the cause of flapping tremor? Name 4 features
Due to severe ventilator failure with CO2 retention
Features:
- Hold hands outstretched
- Wrists cocked-back
- Jerky, flapping tremor
What are the areas inspected on the close inspection of the neck/chest in a respiratory exam?
- Scars – cardiac surgery, thoracotomy, chest drain scars
- Pattern of breathing
- Shape of chest
– Symmetry
– Deformity (kyphoscoliosis / pectus excavatum)
– Increase in A-P diameter (‘barrel shaped’) - Prominent veins on chest wall
– SVC obstruction - JVP
What are the different stages of palpation of the neck and chest?
- Lymph nodes: Patient sat forwards
- Subcutaneious emphysema: Crackling sensation, air in subcutaneous tissues
- Consider trauma/ underlying pneumothorax
- Mediastinal position: Check tracheal position and cardiac apex
- Chest expansion: Anterior/posterior, patient to breeze deeply, thumbs should move apart equally
How do you carry out the percussion section of the respiratory exam?
- Anterior/posterior chest
- Use middle finger/left hand
- Apply firmly to patient’s chest
- Strike it’s middle phalanx with the middle finger of righ hand
- Percuss over intercostal spaces
- Compare left and right
- Listen to note produced
- 7 on back, 6 on front
Name possible causes for the following percussion notes:
- Resonant
- Hyper resonant
- Dull
- Stony/ Very dull
- Resonant: Normal lung
- Hyper resonant: Emphysema/ pneumothorax
- Dull: Collapse/ consolidation/ fibrosis
- Stony/ Very dull: Pleural effusion
What is involved in the auscultation stage of the respiratory exam?
- Use bell or diaphragm of stethoscope
- Ask patient to breathe deeply through mouth
- Listen through full inspiration and full expiration
- Listen for breath sounds and added sounds
What are the breath sounds heard on auscultation?
Normal (vesicular)
- Intensity of sounds relates to airflow
- Diminished vesicular breath sounds (e.g. obesity, pleural effusion, pneumothorax, collapse, hyperinflation in COPD)
Bronchial (high pitched)
-Consolidation with patient bronchial system (e.g. pneumonia, top of pleural effusion, pulmonary fibrosis)
What are the added sounds heard on auscultation?
Crackles (crepitations)
-Caused by e.g. pulmonary oedema, pulmonary fibrosis, bronchial secretions, COPD, pneumonia, lung abcess, TB, bronchiolitis, bronchiectasis
Pleural rub
- Usually associated with pleuritic pain
- Caused by PE, pneumonia, vasculitis
Wheeze
- Continuous oscillation of opposing airway walls
- Musical quality
- Implies airway narrowing
- Louder in expiration
- Caused by Asthma/COPD (if generalized) and lung tumour (if localized)
Silent check in severe airways obstruction
What is fremitus?
Fremitus refers to vibratory tremors that can be felt through the chest by palpation
How are the followed assessed:
- Vocal fremitus?
- Vocal resonance?
- Increased resonance?
- Decreased resonance?
Vocal fremitus: Use palm / ulnar border of hand
Vocal resonance :Use stethoscope
Increased resonance: Consolidation / fibrosis
Decreased resonance: Pleural effusion / collapse
What are the other areas to assess in a respiratory examination?
Ankle oedema
Sputum pot
Obs chart
Peak flow
Spirometry
Outline the key arguments often cited for/against the use of animals in research
Aspects to consider:
- Benefits
- Model
- Sentience
- Value
- Moral agency
- Spiritual/religious potential
- Human achievement
Explain the three principles governing the use of animals in research (from the Home Office policy)
(3 R’s)
Replacement: e.g. alternative technologies
Reduction: e.g. better study design to allow use for fewer animals, better storage of data
Refinement: e.g. improve housing, minimize pain, improve welfare
Outline the regulatory role of the Home Office in animal research
Home Office: “Secretary of Sate weight the likely adverse effects on animals concerned against the benefit likely to accrue as a result of the programme”
Each local arena, animal ethics committee (reviews and monitors all eligible research, using ASPA and Home Office guidelines)
Licenses are granted: Site license, personal license, project license
Informed consent:
What is it?
Four criteria for valid consent?
4 difficulties that can arise in acquiring informed consent
Informed consent = First principle of Nuremberg Code
4 criteria for valid consent:
- Patient must have capacity
- Patient must give consent voluntarily
- Patient must be informed
- Consent must be continuing
Difficulties:
- Participant feeling pressure into agreeing
- The problem of incentives
- Sufficient information
- Vulnerable patients
Identify the different ethical issues raised by the:
- Tuskegee Syphilis trial
- The Guatemalan STD trial
- The case of Henrietta Lacks
Tuskegee Syphilis trial
- “a study to record the natural history of syphilis in hopes of justifying treatment programs for blacks..”
- No informed consent
- Time span extended x80
- Participants given incentives
- No treatment given to treat syphilis or was allowed to be given
The Guatemalan STD trial
- No consent was sought
- Experiments on 5000+ soldiers, prisoners, psychiatric patients, orphans and prostitutes
- Exposed participants to gonorrhea, syphilis or chancroid
The case of Henrietta Lacks
- First immortal human cell line HeLa
- After death her cells were used for research worldwide
- No consent sought
- Profit made from cells hasn’t gone to family
- Justification: Material no longer “hers”, material would have been thrown away, for the common good
Name 3 types of transmission based precautions
Airborne, droplet, contact
Two strategies to measure quality of care?
- The Francis Report is leading to a paradigm shift in clinical care
- Health Improvement Scotland (HIS)
Two strategies to measure quality of care?
- The Francis Report is leading to a paradigm shift in clinical care
- Health Improvement Scotland (HIS)
Hospital acquired infections are one indicator of performance
Two strategies to measure quality of care?
- The Francis Report is leading to a paradigm shift in clinical care
- Health Improvement Scotland (HIS)
Hospital acquired infections are one indicator of performance
How can doctors taken measures to prevent HCAI?
- Recognition of risk factors in patients
- Behaviour and practice
- Hand hygiene
- Dress
- PPE
- Use isolation facilities correctly
How can doctors taken measures to prevent HCAI?
- Recognition of risk factors in patients
- Behaviour and practice
- Hand hygiene
- Dress
- PPE
- Use isolation facilities correctly
What is the chain of infection?
- Infectious agent
- Reservoir
- Portal of Exit
- Mode of transmission
- Portal of entry
- Susceptible host
3 different forms of mode of transmission?
- Direct/Indirect contact via fomites or ingestion e.g. Blood born viruses, diarrhea
- Droplet transmission e.g. N. meningitis, norovirus
- Aerosol (Airborne) transmission e.g. TB, chicken pox, influenza
For which patients should contact precautions be applied?
Name 4 contact precautions in HCAIs
For patients infected/colonized with organisms transmitted by direct or indirect contact e.g. C. difficile, MRSA
Precautions:
- Single room if possible
- Gloves
- Aprons
- Disposable masks/eye protection if at risk of splashes
For which patients should droplet precautions be applied?
Name 2 droplet precautions in HCAIs
For organisms transmitted in droplets (>0.5 microns). These travel only short distances e.g. N. meningitis, mumps, rubella
Precautions:
- Single room if possible
- Wear surgical mark when within touching distance (1 metre) of patient or cough inducing procedure
For which patients should airborne precautions be applied?
Name 5 airborne precautions in HCAIs
Particles <5microns. Can be widely dispersed e.g. TB, chickenpox, measles, FLU
Precautions:
- Wear FFP3 masks for all aerosol generating procedure
- Single room
- Apron
- Gloves
- High efficiency filter mask
In hand decontamination, what are the 2 before and 3 after
Before:
- Touching patien
- Clean/aseptic procedure
After:
- Touching patient
- Touching patient surroundings
- Body fluid exposure risk
Patients with rash and photophobia….
Think measles
After examination of which patients should you use soap and water?
Patient with diarrhea and after removing gloves
What are the two main types of medical devices that could present risk of HCAI?
Invasive medical devices: Maybe long term and short term. All break the skin or mucous membrane barrier
e.g. Central venous catheters (CVC), PVC, urinary catheters
Indwelling prosthetic devices: Usually long term devices which are buried into tissue under the skin e.g. Heart valves, joints, pacing units etc
Two groups of antibiotic resistant organisms?
Gram positive organisms
- MRSA
- VRE (Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus)
Gram negative enterobacteriaceae
- ESBL producer
- CRE (Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacteriaceae
- Carbapenamase Producing pseudomonas
Explain why evidence based medicine is an important part of modern medicine
As it is the key to clinical effectiveness and decision making. Such as in the…
• Production of evidence through scientific research and review
• Production and dissemination of evidence
based clinical guidelines
• Implementation of evidence based, cost
effective practice through education and change management
• Evaluation of compliance with practice guidance through clinical audit
Define EBM
The conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in marking nursing decisions about the care of individual patients
also
The systemic search for, and appraisal of, best evidence in order to make clinical decisions that might require changes in current practice, while taking into account the individual needs of the patient
List the key steps in the process of applying EBM
Use the best evidence in the scientific literature to provide the best care for an individual patient
Summarise the pros and cons of the EBM approach
Cons
- EBM is ‘old hat’
- EBM identifies statistically significant benefits which may be marginal in clinical practice
- EBM has generated a massive, unmanageable volume of evidence and guidelines
- EBM is the mindless application of population studies to the treatment of the individual
- Often no RTC or “gold standard” in the literature to address the clinical question
Pros
- Filters literature so that decisions are made based on “strong evidence”
- EBM should be one part of the process
- Produces expert judgement in a format that clinicians can understand
- Is the info applicable to specific patient
- Clinicians need to understand that there may be no good evidence to support clinical judgement
3 Principles of EBM
- High quality health care rests on objective and clinically relevant information
- There is a hierarchy of evidence where some types are stronger than others
- Scientific data alone is not a sufficient basis for making clinical decisions about individual patients
What questions are answered about drugs by EBM?
The effects of therapy
The utility of diagnostic tests
The prognosis of diseases
The etiology of disorders
How to practice EBM?
- Craft a clinical question (PICO)
- Search the medical literature (medical informatics)
- Find the study that will best answer the question
- Perform a critical appraisal (check for validity and bias)
- Determine how the results will help you care for your patient
- Evaluate the results in your patient or population
What is the pathway involved in air conditioning? What is it’s function?
Function: Moistens, warms, cleans/filters
- Nasal cavity
- Napsopharynx
- Oropharynx
- Larynx
- Trachea
- Main bronchi
- Lobar bronchi
- Segmental bronchi
- Terminal bronchioles
Trachea: Length/width? Structure? Start/end? Muscle present? Difference between RMB/LMB?
Length/width: 10-11cm long, 12mm wide internally
Structure: C-shaped rings of hyaline cartilage supporting a fibro-elastic and muscle air transport tube
Start: C6
End: T4/5 at carina
Muscle present: Trachealis alters tracheal diameter
Difference between RMB/LMB: RMB shorter, wider, more vertical
Major relations to trachea
On RHS: BCT, SVC, right vagus, azygos vein, right brachiocephalic vein, right upper lung lobe
On LHS: LCCA, Descending aorta, left upper lung lobe
Anterior: Thyroid gland, arch of aorta
What structures lies in the groove between the trachea and the oesophagus?
The left recurrent laryngeal nerve
Trachea neurovascular supply: Arteries? Veins? Lymph? Nerves?
Arteries: Inferior thyroid and bronchial
Vein: Inferior thyroid
Lymph: Pre and para tracheal
Nerves: Vagi, recurrent laryngeal, sympathetic trunks
Each segmental bronchus passes to a…….
broncho-pulmonary segment
Each lobar bronchi supplies _ lung lobe
1
What are the names of the bronchopulmonary segments of the right lung? (10)
Upper lobe: Apical, anterior, posterior
Middle lobe: Medial, lateral
Lower lobe: Apical, anterior, lateral, posterior, medial
What are the names of the bronchopulmonary segments of the left lung? (10)
Upper lobe: Apical, anterior, posterior
Middle lobe: Superior, inferior
Lower lobe: Apical, anterior, lateral, posterior, medial