Issues with Respiratory System Flashcards
(15 cards)
Upper Respiratory Tract - Sinusitis
A painful condition affecting the paranasal sinuses, it may present as a self-limiting acute condition or in predisposed individuals it may become chronic and recurring.
Acute viral upper respiratory tract infection (predominantly rhinovirus) is the leading aetiological cause of acute sinusitis * Children and women are more likely to develop the condition
* Autumn and winter are the main periods in which sinusitis develops
Upper Respiratory Tract - Nasal polyps
Non-painful abnormal, though not cancerous, lesions arising in either the paranasal sinuses or the mucosa of nasal passages
Upper Respiratory Tract - Allergic rhinitis
Most commonly recognised as hay-fever, this uncomfortable condition affecting the nose and eyes may also manifest non-seasonally in response to exposure to allergens.
Upper Respiratory Tract - Tonsillitis
Inflammation of palatine tonsils. Tends to include lingual tonsils and also adenoids, presenting as pharyngitis. Complications may include suppuration, progression to chronic or recurrent tonsillitis and peritonsillar abscess
Upper Respiratory Tract - Otitis media and externa
- Otitis media – inflammation of the middle ear, particularly common in children
- Otitis externa – inflammation of the external ear which can affect all ages
Upper Respiratory Tract - Glue ear
As with acute otitis media, eustachian tube dysfunction lies behind failure of drainage from the middle ear following an episode or episodes of acute otitis media. Potential contributors to this dysfunction may be mucosal oedema, dysfunction of the cilia and an excessively viscous effusion
Upper Respiratory Tract - Croup
From the diagram of the airway it is possible to see how inflammation of the trachea (along with larynx and bronchi) will narrow the available airway. The key pathogen implicated in the development of croup is parainfluenza virus
Lower Respiratory Tract - Asthma - Early Onset
Airway inflammation –mast cells and T-lymphocytes play a prominent role following stimulation of the immune response by an antigen, airway oedema and mucous secretion resulting from inflammation contribute to subsequent airflow obstruction and airway hyperreactivity
- Intermittent airflow obstruction –IgE release causes acute bronchoconstriction, followed by airway oedema and then formation of mucous plugs made of serum proteins and cell debris; the persistent restriction of air outflow may lead to hyperinflation of the lungs to maintain correct balance but has detrimental effects on comfortable breathing
- Bronchial hyperresponsiveness –arising from the imbalance between ventilation (breathing) and perfusion (spread of oxygenated blood in target tissues) rather than irritated bronchi due to allergens etc., an attempt by the body to maintain adequate airflow in spite of obstruction
Lower Respiratory Tract - Asthma – Late onset
Less likely to be linked to allergy
Female incidence higher than male –potential link to female hormones as male/female incidence in childhood is fairly equal
A poorer prognosis and more severe lung function decline
Lower Respiratory Tract - Asthma – Acute versus chronic
There is some overlap between chronic asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), while acute asthma tends to encompass most presentations whether adult or child onset.
Lower Respiratory Tract - COPD – chronic bronchitis
Defined as a productive cough lasting 3 months or more occurring repeatedly over 2 or more years
Subsequent to oedema and irritation causing inefficient mucociliary clearance in acute bronchitis, copious mucous is secreted and irritation persists, especially in alveolar epithelium.
Lower Respiratory Tract - COPD - emphysema
Whereas chronic bronchitis is characterised by persistent airway inflammation, emphysema is more characterised by alveolar destruction
The standard definition of emphysema includes the fact that the alveolar walls have undergone damage to the point of destruction, causing the air spaces beyond the terminal bronchioles to become permanently enlarged.
Lower Respiratory Tract - Bronchiectasis
Initial infection inflammatory cytokines, neutrophils, oxygen radicals
Damage throughout the bronchial wall, alveoli closest to bronchi can be damaged and suffer fibrosis, drainage of lung secretions impaired
Secondary persistent bacterial infection due to fluid stagnation can cause extensive damage to lung tissue
Lower Respiratory Tract - Pneumonia
Compromised immunity
Impaired mucociliary clearance, secretion accumulation
Impaired cough reflex
Increased fluid output into lung spaces due to immune system working
Disruption of balance between defence mechanisms and respiratory tract organisms inflammation
Lower Respiratory Tract - Pleurisy
Peripheral inflammation of the tissues of the lungs, due to the aetiological causes noted, may extend into the pleural cavity and involve visceral and parietal pleura. The intercostal innervation of the parietal pleura causes the painful presentation of pleurisy .
