Respiratory COPY Flashcards
(44 cards)
What is bronchiectasis
permanent dilation of airways
Causes of bronchiectasis
- post-infection
- CF
- lung cancer
Signs and symptoms of bronchiectasis
- dyspnoea
- cough
- haemoptysis
- recurrent chest infections
Investigations for bronchiectasis
- chest xray → kerly B lines
- sputum → H.influenzae most common
Management of bronchiectasis
- physical training
- postural drainage
- prophylactic Abs
- surgery if disease localised
What is pleural effusion?
collection of fluid in the pleural cavity → space between parietal ad visceral pleura
Types of pleural effusion
exudative → high protein count
- transudative → lower protein count
Causes of exudative pleural effusion
related to inflammation
- proteins leak out of tissue into pleural space
- lung cancer
- pneumonia
- RA
- TB
Causes of transudative pleural effusion
related to fluid moving across pleural space
- congestive cardiac failure
- hypoalbuminaemia
- hypothyroidism
- Meig’s syndrome
What is Meig’s syndrome?
right sided pleural effusion with ovarian malignancy
Presentation of pleural effusion
- SOB
- cough
- stony dull percussion over effusion
- reduced breath sounds
- tracheal deviation away from effusion if large
Investigations for pleural effusion
- chest xray
- pleural US
- thoracocentesis → diagnoses underlying cause
What would you seen on a chest xray with pleural effusion
- blunting of costophrenic angle
- fluid in lung fissures
- meniscus
- tracheal and medial deviation
Treatment of pleural effusion
dependent on cause
- congestive HF → loop diuretics
- infective → Abs
- malignant → therapeutic thoracocentesis
- large effusions often need aspiration or drainage
What is interstitial lung disease?
- umbrella term for conditions that affect lung parenchyma
- cause inflammation and fibrosis
Diagnosis of interstitial lung disease
- clinical features
- high resolution CT thorax → ground glass appearance
- lung biopsy if unsure
Treatment of interstitial lung disease
supportive, prevent progression
- remove/treat underlying cause
- home O2 if hypoxic at rest
- stop smoking
- physiotherapy
- pneumococcal/flu vaccine
- lung transplant
What are the three types of interstitial lung disease?
- idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
- occupational lung disorders
- systemic disease → Wegner’s, Goodpasture’s
What is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis?
formation of scar tissue in lungs with no known cause
Presentation of IPF
- dyspnoea
- dry cough
- bibasal crackles
Treatment of IPF
- prifenidone
- nintedanib
- treatments for ILD
What is sarcoidosis?
- granulomatous inflammatory condition
- varied severity
Presentation of sarcoidosis
affects any organ in body
most common = lung
- mediastinal lymphadenopathy
- pulmonary fibrosis
- pulmonary nodules
Investigations for sarcoidosis
GOLD STANDARD = histology from biopsy
- non-caseating granulomas with epithelioid cells
