Resp Flashcards
Stepwise management of inhalers in adults
- low dose ICS
- Add LABA to low dose ICS
- Consider increasing ICS to medium dose or adding LTRA (if no response to LABA - consider stopping)
- refer for specialist care
Stepwise management of inhalers in children
- very low dose ICS (or LRTA if < 5 yrs)
- very low dose ICS plus
a. LABA or LRTA if > 5 yrs old
b. LRTA if < 5 - Increase ICS to low dose or in children > 5 add LRTA or LABA (if no response to LABA, consider stopping)
- refer for speclialist care
Features of life threatning asthma
Hypoxaemia (<92%)
PEFR <33% of predicted
Exhaustion
Bradycardia or arrythmia
Hypotension
Silent chest
Altered consciousness
Poor resp effort
Cyanosis
Normal or raised PCO2
What is Bronchiolitis Obliterans
The term used to describe the fibrous scarring of the small airways, seen in the following;
- inhalation of toxic fumes
- exposure to mineral dust
- viral infections
- mycoplasma infections
- legionella
- bone marrow, heart or lung transplant
- RA or SLE
- Penicillamine treatment
Presentation of bronchiolotiis obliterans
Dry cough
Dyspnoea
Signs of bronchiolitis obliterans
Unremarkable
Expiratory wheeze may be audible
CXR findings of bronchiolitis obliterans
Can vary
Normal
Reticular pattern
Reticulonodular pattern
Diagnosis of bronchiolitis obliterans
Lung biopsy
Prognosis of bronchiolitis obliterans
Poor
Rarely respond to steriods
Investigation specific to allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
Early positive skin prick test for aspergillus fumigatus (antigen-specific IgE)
What does FEF reflect
Status of the small airways
What is sent away when a pleural aspiration is carried out
Cytology
Protein
LDH
pH
Gram stain
Culture
Sensitivity
Stepwise Tx of COPD
1 SABA or SAMA
2. Combined therapy
- a) no asthmatic or steriod responsive features; LABA + LAMA
- b) asthmatic or steriod responsive featutres; LABA + ICS
3. 3x therapy; add ICS to 2a or LAMA to 2b
What epworth sleepiness score is suggestive of OSA
11 or more
(can be up to 24)
What is an azygous lobe
Normal variant
Seen as reverse comma sign behind the medial end of the right clavicle
right upper zone
What is the only treatment proven to improve long term prognosis in patients with chronic hypoxaemia in COPD
Long term domicillary oxygen therapy
Presentation of histoplasmosis
Acute URTI
Substernal pain
Xray changes in histoplasmosis
Patchy pulmonary infiltrates
Mediastinal widening
10% arthralgia
5% have pleural effusions
Diagnosis of histoplasmosis
Culture of histoplasma capsultatum from urine, blood and bone marrow and sputum
Treatment of histoplasmosis
Amphotericin B - not required unless patients show signs of respiratory insufficiency
Causes of upper lobe fibrosis on CXR
Ankylosing spondylitis (apices)
TB
Sarcoidosis
Extrinsic allergic alveolitis
Silicosis
ABPA
Post Radiotherapy
Causes of lower lobe fibrosis
RA
Scleroderma
SLE
IPF
Criteria of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
Clinical deterioration in asthma symptoms
Raised IgE levels
Positive aspergillosis serology
Pulmonary infiltrates on CXR
Treatment of ABPA
Corticosteriods
Itraconazole