Diseases and Conditions and Procedures (Respiratory)

Question 1

abnormal breathing sounds

Answer 1

abnormal sounds heard during inhalation or expiration, with or without a stethoscope

Question 2

crackles

Answer 2

fine crackling or bubbling sounds, commonly heard during inspiration when there is fluid in the alveoli; also called “rales”

Question 3

rhonchi

Answer 3

loud coarse or snoring sounds heard during inspiration or expiration; caused by obstructed airways

Question 4

friction rub

Answer 4

dry, grating sound heard with a stethoscope during auscultation (listening for sounds within the body)

Question 5

stridor

Answer 5

high-pitched, musical sound made on inspiration; caused by an obstruction in the trachea or larynx

Question 6

wheezes

Answer 6

continuous high-pitched whistling sounds, usually during expiration; cased by narrowing of an airway

Question 7

acidosis

Answer 7

excessive acidity of blood as a result of an accumulation of acids or an excessive loss of bicarbonate caused by abnormally high levels of carbon dioxide in the body
[acid=acid; -osis=abnormal condition]

Question 8

acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)

Answer 8

life-threatening build-up of fluid in the air sacs (alveoli), caused by vomit into the lungs (aspiration), inhaling chemicals, pneumonia, septic shock, or trauma, that prevents enough oxygen from passing into the bloodstream; also call adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)

Question 9

anosmia

Answer 9

absence or decrease in the sense of smell

[an-=without, not; -osmia=smell]

Question 10

anoxia

Answer 10

total absence of oxygen in the body tissues; caused by a lack of O2 in inhaled air or by obstruction that prevents O2 from reaching the lungs
[an-=without, not; -oxia=oxygen]

Question 11

asphyxia

Answer 11

condition of insufficient intake of oxygen as a result of chocking, toxic gases, electric shock, drugs, drowning, smoke, or trauma.
[a-=without, not; -sphyxia=pluse]

Question 12

asthma

Answer 12

inflammatory airway disorder that results in attacks of wheezing, shortness of breath that gets worse with exercise or activity, and coughing (with or without sputum)

Question 13

atelectasis

Answer 13

collapse of lung tissue, which prevents the respiratory exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide and is caused by various conditions including obstruction of foreign bodies, excessive secretions, or pressure on the lung from a tumor.
[atel=incomplete, imperfect; -ectasis=dilation, expansion]

Question 14

bronchitis

Answer 14

acute or chronic inflammation of mucous membranes of the bronchial airways caused by irritation, infection, or both
[bronch=bronchus; -itis=inflammation]

Question 15

coryza

Answer 15

acute inflammation of the nasal passages accompanied by profuse nasal discharge; aka “a cold”

Question 16

croup

Answer 16

acute respiratory syndrome that occurs primarily in children and infants and is characterized by laryngeal obstruction and spasm, barking cough, and stridor

Question 17

cystic fibrosis (CF)

Answer 17

genetic disease that is one of the most common types of chronic lung disease in children and young adults and causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive tract, possibly resulting in early death
[-cyst=bladder; -ic pertaining to; fibr=fiber, fibrous tissue; -osis=abnormal condition]

Question 18

emphysema

Answer 18

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that makes it difficult to breathe and is characterized by loss of elasticity of the lung tissue that causes the small airways to collapse during forced exhalation

Question 19

epistaxis

Answer 19

hemorrhage from the nose; also called “nosebleed”

[epi-=above, upon; -staxiz= driping, oozing (of blood)]

Question 20

hypercapnia

Answer 20

greater than normal amounts of carbon dioxide in the blood

[hyper-=excessive, above normal; -capnia=CO2]

Question 21

hypoxemia

Answer 21

deficiency of oxygen in the blood; usually a sign of respiratory impariment
[hypo-under, below, deficient; ox=oxygen; -emia=blood condition]

Question 22

influenza

Answer 22

acute, contagious respiratory infection characterized by sudden onset of fever, chills, headache, and muscle pain

Question 23

otitis media (OM)

Answer 23

inflammation of the middle ear, commonly the result of an upper respiratory infection (URI) with symptoms of otodynia; may be treated with myringotomy or tympanostomy tubes
[ot=ear; -itis=inflammation; med=middle; -ia=condition]

Question 24

exudative

Answer 24

Otitis Media (OM) with teh presence of fluid, such as pus or serum

Question 25

pertussis

Answer 25

acute infectious disease characterized by a “whoop”-sounding cough; also called “whooping cough”

Question 26

pleurisy

Answer 26

Inflammation of the pleural membrane characterized by a stabbing pain that is intensified by deep breathing or coughing

Question 27

pneumothorax

Answer 27

collection of air or gas in the pleural cavity, causing the complete or partial collapse of a lung
[pneum/o=air, lung; -thorax=chest]

Question 28

sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

Answer 28

completely unexpected and unexplained death of an apparently well, or virtually well, infant; also called “Crib Death”

Question 29

arterial blood gas (ABGs)

Answer 29

group of tests that measure the oxygen and carbon dioxide concentration in an arterial blood sample
[arteri=artery; -al=pertaining to]

Question 30

mantoux test

Answer 30

intradermal test to determine recent or past exposure to tuberculosis (TB)

Question 31

polysomnography (PSG)

Answer 31

sleep study test monitored by a technician while the patient sleeps; used to evaluate physical factors affecting sleep, such as heart rate and activity, breathing, eye and muscle movements, snoring, kicking during sleep, and sleep cycles and stages
[poly-=many, much; somn/o=sleep; -graphy=process of recording]

Question 32

pulmonary function tests (PFTs)

Answer 32

various tests used to determine the capacity of the lungs to exchange O2 and CO2 efficiently
[pulmon=lung; -ary=pertaining to]

Question 33

spirometry

Answer 33

common lung function test that measures and records the volume and rate of inhales and exhaled air; used to assess pulmonary function by means of a spirometer and to assess obstructive lung disease, especially asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
[spir/o= to breathe; -metry= act of measuring]

Question 34

cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

Answer 34

basic emergency procedure for life support, consisting of artificial respiration and manual external cardiac massage
[cardi-/o=heart; pulmon=lung; -ary=pertaining to]

Question 35

endotracheal intubation

Answer 35

procedure in which an airway catheter is inserted through the mouth or nose into the trachea just above teh bronchi in patients who are unable to breathe on their own; also used to administer oxygen, medication, or anesthesia
[endo-=in, within; treache=trachea (windpipe); -al = pertaining to]

Question 36

postural drainage

Answer 36

use of body positioning to assist in the removal of secretions from specific lobs of the lung, bronchi, or lung cavities

Question 37

thoracocentesis

Answer 37

use of a needles to collect pleural fluid for laboratory analysis or to remove excess pleural fluid or air form the pleural space; also called “thoracentesis”

Question 38

tracheostomy

Answer 38

incision into the trachea (tracheotomy) and creation of a permanent opening through which a tracheostomy tube is inserted to keep the opening patent (accessible or wide open)
[trache/o=trachea (windpipe); -stomy=forming an opening (mouth)]

Question 39

Apnea

Answer 39

A temporary cessation of breathing. Sleep apnea refers to a sudden cessation of breathing during sleep that can result in hypoxia and lead to cognitive impairment, hypertension, and arrhythmias. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) involves a physical obstruction in the upper airways; usually marked by recurrent sleep interruptions, choking, and gasping spells on awakening, and drowsiness caused by loss of normal sleep. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a gentle ventilator support used to keep the airways open. Uncorrected OSA commonly leads to central sleep apnea, pulmonary failure, and cardiac abnormalities.

Question 40

COPD

Answer 40

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to a group of respiratory disorders characterized by chronic, partial obstruction of the bronchi and lungs that makes it difficult to breathe. The 3 major disorders included in COPD are asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. In COPD the airway passages become blogged with mucus. Although air reaches the alveoli in the lungs during inhalation, it may not be able to escape during exhalation. COPD tends to be progressive and irreversible. Smoking, prolonged exposure to polluted air, respiratory infections, and allergies are predisposing factors to the disease. Bronchodilators and corticosteroids are commonly prescribed to help alleviate the symptoms of COPD.

Question 41

Bronchoscopy

Answer 41

A type of endoscopic procedure-the visual examination of the interior bronchi using a flexible fiber optic instrument with a light (bronchoscope). It is inserted either through the the nose (transnasally)or through the mouth. This procedure may be performed to remove obstructions, obtain a biopsy specimen, or observe directly for pathological changes. In children, this procedure may be used to remove foreign objects that have been inhaled. In adults, the procedure is most commonly preformed to obtain samples of suspicious lesions and for culturing specific areas in the lung. The cavity, organ, or canal being examined dictates the name of the endoscopic procedure, such as “cystoscopy” “gastroscopy” or “bronchoscopy”.