Flashcards in Cough Deck (26)
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1
What is a cough?
a mechanical reflex that occurs when cough receptors are activated by a stimulus leading to deep inspiration. The glottis then closes and there is a msucle contraction against it, leading to a release of air from the lungs accompanied by a characteristic sound --> helps to clear the airways of secretions and foreign particles
2
What is the difference between acute and chronic coughs?
Acute --> up to 3 weeks
Chronic --> present for more than 8 weeks
3
What is acute cough commonly caused by?
- viral infections --> common cold, bronchitis or bacterial pneumonia
4
What is chronic cough commonly caused by?
- asthma,
- post-nasal drip
- gastro-oesophageal disease
etc.
5
What is the difference between a dry and a productive cough?
A productive cough is one that is accompanied by sputum.
6
What is sputum?
Material composed of phlegm or mucus that may also contain blood, pus or bacteria.
7
What is important to know about Sputum?
1. colour
2. volume
3. thickness
4. odour
5. blood? pus? etc.
8
What is haemoptysis?
A person coughing up blood, whether it is in sputum or not.
9
What are important cardinal features associated with cough?
- Quality (cough) and then of sputum
- Severity
- Time course
- Context
- R/A Factors
- Associated features
10
What are some considerations for a cough pertaining to Quality?
- barking/hacking/whooping etc.
- dry/productive
11
What are some considerations for a cough pertainig to severity?
- frequency
- effect of ADLs
12
What are some considerations for a cough pertaining to time course?
- onset
- duration
- changes over time
13
What are some considerations for a cough pertaining to context?
- what caused it?
- occupation
14
What are some considerations for a cough pertaining to relieving factors?
- treatments tried and effect
15
What are some considerations for a cough pertaining to aggravating factors/
- occupational?
- worse at night?
16
What are some considerations for a cough pertaining to associated features?
- dyspnoea
- wheeze
- fever
- haemoptysis
- smoking
17
What are some considerations for a cough pertaining to quality of sputum?
COLOUR chronic bronchitis
- yellow/green --> pulmonary infection/bronchiectasis
- red --> haemoptysis
- black --> smoke, coal dust
- frothy/white/pink --> pulmonary oedema
18
What are rigors?
Shakes...different to shivering
19
What are night sweats?
- You wake up in the middle of the night drenched.
- Characteristic of TB, malignancy or perhaps endocarditis
20
What are some causes of haemoptysis?
- bronchitis, inflammation of the bronchi
- lung cancer
- pneumonia
- pulmonary embolism
- TB
21
What is Haemotemesis?
Vommiting up blood
22
How do you differentiate between haemoptysis and haemotemesis?
Prodrome?
Sputum?
Colour of blood? (red and frothy for haemoptysis; darker for haemotemesis)
23
What are some key features of pneumonia?
Rust coloured sputum
24
What are some key features of Whooping cough?
- caused by borditella pertussis
- coughing repeatedly and then vommiting
- whoop on inspiration
25
What are some key features of croup?
- seal bark of a cough
- semi-obstruction of the lung due to inflammation of larynx
- use of accessory muscles
26
