Year 1 - Lung disease and practical skills

Question 1

What is asthma?

Answer 1

Variable and recurring inflammatory disease of the bronchi and bronchioles

Question 2

What is emphysema?

Answer 2

A condition in which the alveoli are damaged and enlarged, causing breathlessness

Question 3

What is bronchitis?

Answer 3

Irritation and inflammation of the bronchi

Question 4

What is lung cancer?

Answer 4

Malignant tumor arising in the lungs

Question 5

What is Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR)?

Answer 5

Measure of the fastest possible flow of exhaled air after a maximal inspiration

Question 6

What is the device to measure peak expiratory flow rate?

Answer 6

Peak flow meter

Question 7

What is the function of the peak flow meter?

Answer 7

It measures peak expiratory flow rate

Question 8

What is the unit for peak expiratory flow rate?

Answer 8

Litres per minute

Question 9

What does low peak expiratory rate indicate?

Answer 9

Patient may have asthma/bronchitis/emphysema

Question 10

What is an example of a comparison method which is the best way for the peak flow measurements work?

Answer 10

• Before and after a treatment, to see if a patient’s condition is worsening or getting better;
• To see if a particular trigger is causing symptoms

Question 11

Peak flow values can be compared in a table of…

Answer 11

Expected normal values, to see if anything is wrong

Question 12

What does a spirometer can measure?

Answer 12

FEV1; forced vital capacity

Question 13

FEV1

Answer 13

Volume of air that can forcibly be blown out in first 1 second, after full inspiration

Question 14

What is forced vital capacity (FVC)?

Answer 14

Maximum volume of air a person can exhale from the lungs after maximum inhalation

Question 15

Which is a more detailed and accurate measure of lung function: spirometer or peak flow measurements?

Answer 15

Peak flow measurements

Question 16

Causes of measurement error during a peak flow measurement

Answer 16

• Patient not blowing as hard as they can;

- Patient not putting their lips right round the mouthpiece

Question 17

What is obstructive lung disease?

Answer 17

Narrowed airways result in resistance to airflow during breathing. Examples are asthma, emphysema, bronchitis

Question 18

What is restrictive lung disease?

Answer 18

Causes a decrease in maximum achievable lung volume during inspiration. e.g. scarring of lung tissue due to infection

Question 19

Diagnostic features of obstructive lung disease

Answer 19

FEV1 and peak expiratory flow reduced; forced vital capacity unchanged

Question 20

Forced vital capacity reduced

Answer 20

Diagnostic feature of restrictive lung disease

Question 21

Common causes of lung disease

Answer 21

Infection, atmospheric pollutants, smoking

Question 22

Symptoms of bronchitis

Answer 22

Shortness of breath, wheezing, persistent cough

Question 23

Symptoms of emphysema

Answer 23

Shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing out, in severe cases patients need to breathe oxygen through a mask

Question 24

Reason people with emphysema have particular difficulty with breathing out

Answer 24

Alveoli loose their elasticity

Question 25

Symptoms of asthma

Answer 25

Wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath. These happen intermittently, are often worse at night and early in the morning and seem to happen in response to a trigger like exercise or an allergy (such as to pollen or animal fur)

Question 26

Symptoms of lung cancer

Answer 26

Coughing up blood, persistent cough, weight loss