Pulmonology Intro Flashcards
What is dyspnea?
Subjective feeling of difficult, labored, uncomfortable breathing
Tachypnea is?
Rapid breathing > 20 RMP
Orthopnea is?
Dyspnea in recumbent position
What is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea?
Orthopnea that wakes the patient from sleep prompting an upright position and the sensation of breathlessness
Respiratory Distress is?
Combination of patient’s subjective dyspnea with signs indicating difficulty breathing.
Respiratory failure is?
Respiratory dysfunction resulting in abnormalities of oxygenation or ventilation.
Respiratory failure is characterized by which 2 things?
- Change in ability to move air in and out of lungs.
- Change in ability to facilitate diffusion of oxygen into the blood/CO out of the blood.
What are two ways we investigate hypoxemia and hypercapnea?
A-a gradient, V/Q mismatch
What is the A-a gradient
Difference between O2 in alveoli and blood
A= O2 in alveoli
a= O2 dissolved in the blood
What does hypoxemia with a normal A-a gradient mean?
O2 is moving as expected into the blood- but due to high altitude or hypoventilation bot hare equally low causing a normal A-a gradient
What does hypoxemia with an increased A-a gradient mean?
Oxygen is not moving as expected into the blood from alveoli. V/Q mismatch- either a lungs are limited O2 diffusion or the blood flow is limiting O2 diffusion.
What are the two compromises that characterize V/Q mismatch?
Circulatory compromise and air space compromise
What is CPAP?
Bridge device that has continuous positive airway pressure.
What is BiPAP?
Bridge device with bilevel positive airway pressure.
In an arterial/venous blood gas, which two results describe ventilatory status?
pH and PaCO2
In an arterial/venous blood gas, which results describe oxygenation status?
PaO2
Primary respiratory acidosis is?
High Co2 and low pH
Primary respiratory alkalosis is?
Low CO2 and High pH
If pH is better than expected, we should assume the body is…?
Compensating.
if pH is worse than expected, we should assume the body is… ?
Mixed respiratory disorder.
What is the most readily available/useful pulmonary function test that measures a volume exhaled during a forceful complete exhalation after a maximal inhalation?
Spirometry
What does spirometry prove if the patient’s spirometry score is better after taking a bronchodilating medication?
The problem is reversible.
What two classifications of pulmonary disorders does spirometry does spirometry help diagnose?
Obstructive and restrictive lung diseases
What is obstructive lung disease?
Air trapping, difficulty exhaling air from lungs.
