Pulmonary Pathophysiology - Important Terms and Some Diseases

Question 1

what is dyspnea? what is it often described as?

Answer 1

• difficulty breathing
• ## often described as air hunger, breathlessness

Question 2

what is orthopnea?

Answer 2

• difficulty breathing when laying down

Question 3

what is atelectasis?

Answer 3

• lung tissue collapse

Question 4

what is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND)?

Answer 4

• when a person wakes up in the middle of the night with dyspnea
• often indicates underlying heart or pulmonary disease

Question 5

what is a cough?

Answer 5

• regular protective response to clear airways

Question 6

what is hemoptysis?

Answer 6

• cough up blood or secretions

Question 7

what is hyperpnea? what is another name for it?

Answer 7

• increased tidal volume and flow rates
• kussmaul sounds

Question 8

what are cheyne stokes respirations?

Answer 8

• they are alternations between deep and shallow breathing

Question 9

what is hypocapnia?

Answer 9

• low carbon dioxide levels in the blood

Question 10

what is cyanosis? what causes it?

Answer 10

• bluish discoloration in the periphery
• due to hypoxemia

Question 11

what is clubbing? what is it associated with?

Answer 11

• swelling of the ends of the digits
• hypoxemia is associated with it

Question 12

what is hypercapnia?

Answer 12

• increased levels of carbon dioxide in the blood

Question 13

what is the difference between hypoxemia and hypoxia?

Answer 13

• hypoxia is low oxygen levels in the cell
• hypoxemia is low oxygen levels in the blood

Question 14

what is shunting?

Answer 14

• when you have a V/Q mismatch

Question 15

what is the alveolar dead space?

Answer 15

• a part in the alveoli that is well ventilated but poorly perfused

Question 16

what is hypoventilation? what does it result in?

Answer 16

• inadequate ventilation for metabolic demands
• hypercapnea

Question 17

what is hyperventilation? what does it result in?

Answer 17

• excessive ventilation in light of metabolic demands
• it can result in hypocapnia

Question 18

what is acute respiratory failure? what is it characterized by?

Answer 18

• inadequate gas exchange
• characterized by PaO2 less than 60 and PaCO2 more than 50

Question 19

19. what are direct causes of acute respiratory failure?
20. what are indirect causes of acute respiratory failure?

Answer 19

• direct injury to the lungs, chest or airways
• disease or injury to another body system

Question 20

if acute respiratory failure is primarily hypercapnic, what is it the result of? what does the individual require?

Answer 20

• it is a result of inadequate ventilation which causes a V/Q mismatch and thus inadequate gas exchange
• individual requires ventilatory support

Question 21

if the acute respiratory failure is primarily hypoxemic, what is it the result of? what does the individual require?

Answer 21

• inadequate exchange of oxygen between alveoli and capillaries
• individual requires oxygen therapy

Question 22

what are the most common postoperative problems? what people are especially at risk for it?

Answer 22

• atelectasis, pulmonary edema, pulmonary emboli, pneumonia
• those who are obese and those who smoke

Question 23

what is pneumothorax? what is it caused by?

Answer 23

• air or gas in the pleural space
• caused by injury to either the visceral of parietal pleura

Question 24

what is a lung bleb?

Answer 24

like an air blister that fills the lungs

Question 25

when does primary pneumothorax occur? what is it caused by? when can it occur? where are the blebs usually located? what are two possible explanations for it?

Answer 25

- usually occurs spontaneously in males between age 20 and 40 - caused by rupture in lung bleb - blebs are usually located in the visceral pleural - could be a genetic component or emphysema like changes in the lung itself

Question 26

what is secondary pneumothorax caused by? what are some examples?

Answer 26

- caused by direct pulmonary injury or trauma - rib fracture, blub rupture, stab wound

Question 27

what is iatrogenic pneumothorax usually caused by?

Answer 27

- caused by transthoracic needle injection

Question 28

what is the difference between open and tension pneumothorax? what type would primary and secondary be?

Answer 28

- open means air flows in and out - tension means the injury becomes like a one way valve and air only flows which makes it more severe - primary or secondary can be either or

Question 29

what are the clinical manifestations of primary or secondary pneumothorax? what can a physical examination reveal?

Answer 29

pleural pain,

Question 30

what can tension pneumothorax be complicated by?

Answer 30

- can be complicated by hypoxemia or hypotension

Question 31

what is pleural effusion? what are the usual sources of the fluid?

Answer 31

- pleural effusion is fluid in the pleural cavity - blood or lymph vessels

Question 32

what are the two types of pleural effusion? what are other types characterized by and called?

Answer 32

- exudative = high WBC count - transudative = watery - empyema = pus - chylothorax = chylo - hemothorax = blood

Question 33

35. 36. **what are common clinical manifestations of larger effusions? what does a physical examination reveal?**

Answer 33

dyspnea, pleural pain, chest compression, mediastinal shift, CV complications

Question 34

what is empyema? how does it develop?

Answer 34

- pus in the pleural cavity - develops when an obstruction in the lymph system causes an outpouring of contaminated lymph fluid in the pleural cavity

Question 35

what age groups are most commonly affected by empyema? what is it usually a complication of?

Answer 35

- children and the elderly -

Question 36

what are clinical manifestations of empyema?

Answer 36

cyanosis, tachycardia, fever, cough, pleural pain