Auscultation Flashcards
Breaths sounds can be either?
Normal vesticular over lung parenchyma
Bronchial bronchiovesicular over large airways eg. Trachea
How does normal breath sound?
Quiet, low pitched rustling or rushing sound. Is louder on inspiration and lost after 1 third to half of expiration
How does broncial breaths sounds sound?
Harsh tubular sounds
What are the 2 types of abnormal breathing?
- Reduced
2. Absent
What are the causes of reduced breathing?
- airways
- alveoli: small breath, collapse/atelectasis/hypoventilation
- pleura
- chest wall/soft tissue
What are some of the causes of absent breath sounds?
Absent transmission of sound: - no ventilation to area - barrier between lung and stethoscope Pathological: - total obstruction of major bronchus - lung collapse - large pneumothorax - absence of lung tissue - pleural effusion - absence of lung tissue (pneunoectomy)
What are the 2 added sounds we can hear?
- Wheezing
2. Crackling
How do crackles sound?
Discontinuous and non-musical
What is crackles caused by?
Changes in elastic properties of the lung so that airways and alveoli suddenly open or close, sudden equalisation pressure between 2 compartments with differing pressures
What are some pathologies where crackling can be heard?
- low lung vol (lung collapsing then reopening)
- lung collapse/atelectasis
- lung consolidation/pneumonia
- pulmonary fibrosis
- pulmonary oedema
- COPD
What causes coarse crackles?
Due to secretion moving in airways
How do wheezes sound like?
Continuous and musical like
What is the hypothesised reason for wheezing?
Abnormal vibration or oscillation of narrowed airways
With wheezing the airways may be narrowed due for a number of reasons?
- bronchospasms
- mucosal swelling
- secretions in lumen
- obstructing mass
- dynamic collapse and narrowing of unstable airway
What are some of the pathological conditions where wheezing can be heard?
- asthma
- COPD
- bronchiectasis
- bronchial obstruction
- pulmonary oedema
