Respiratory Flashcards
(14 cards)
Hypoxia
Low levels of oxygen in the body
Hypoxia symptoms
- Confusion
- Restlessness
- Difficulty breathing
- Rapid heart rate
- Cyanosis
Hypercapnia
- Also known as CO2 retention
- A condition where there is too much CO2 in the blood.
- Occurs when the lungs are unable to expel CO2 effectively. This can be caused by a variety of conditions - COPD, musculoskeletal chest wall deformities, neurological and respiratory muscle weakness, nerve disorders.
- Can be chronic or acute
Chronic and acute hypercapnia
Chronic - symptoms include: SOB and fatigue
Acute - Symptoms can be more severe and include neurological symptoms like confusion, disorientation and paranoia.
Asthma
- Lung condition that causes breathing problems.
- Occurs when the airways become inflamed and narrowed, making it difficult to breathe - causing asthma attacks.
- Likely caused by genetic or environmental factors
- Can be a lifelong condition but with the right treatment most people can manage their symptoms.
- Common asthma triggers: allergies, smoke, pollution, cold air, exercise, infections like cold or flu.
Symptoms of asthma
- Wheezing when breathing
- SOB
- Tight chest
- Coughing
Two types of asthma
Intrinsic asthma
- Triggered by non-allergenic factors like stress, cold air, smoke, anxiety, viruses and exercise.
Extrinsic asthma
- Caused by an allergic reaction for something in your environment, like dust, pollen, animals and food.
- May also have allergy symptoms like red and itchy eyes, sneezing, nasal congestion and runny nose.
Tuberculosis
- Caused by the bacteria Myobacterium tuberculosis.
- Bacterial infection that usually affects the lungs but can spread to other parts of the body (brain causing meningitis).
- Spreads through the air when people with TB cough, sneeze or spit.
- Preventable and curable
- Usually treated with antibiotics for 6 months.
- BCG vaccine can provide effective protection against TB.
- Can be Fatal without treatment
Symptoms of tuberculosis
- Persistent cough lasting more than two weeks.
- Coughing up blood or mucus
- Chest pain
- Fever
- Night sweats
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Feeling tired or unwell
- Swelling in the neck
Bronchitis
- Inflammation of the bronchi airways in the lungs that is usually caused by a viral infection in the nose, ears, throat or sinuses that spreads to the lungs.
- Type of chest infection
- Usually caused by virus
Symptoms of bronchitis
- Cough that produces yellow or green phlegm
- Breathlessness or rapid and shallow breathing
- Wheezing
- Fever
- Tachycardia
- Chest pain or tightness when taking a breath
- Feeling confused of disoriented
- Blocked or runny nose
- Noisy breathing
Respiratory failure
- A conditions where the respiratory system fails in one or both of its gas exchange functions (O2 and CO2 elimination) due to dysfunction of one or more essential components of the respiratory system - chest wall, airways, alveolar, pulmonary circulation or CNS.
- Leads to deterioration and cardiac arrest if not treated.
- May be acute or chronic
- Causes low O2 levels or high CO2 levels.
Types of respiratory failure
Type 1:
- Hypoxemic respiratory failure: failure of oxygen exchange causing low oxygen levels.
- Most common type
- Common causes - cardiogenic pulmonary oedema, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism.
Type 2:
- Hypercapnia respiratory failure: failure removing co2 from the blood causing high carbon dioxide levels.
- Common causes - severe asthma, chronic bronchitics and COPD, drug overdose, neuromuscular disease and chest wall abnormalities.
Respiratory failure symptoms
- Rapid breathing (tachypnea) / high respiratory rate
- SOB or feeling like can’t get enough air (Dyspnea)
- Fatigue
- Fast heart rate
- Diaphoresis
