Respiratory Examination

Question 1

What are normal vesicular breath sounds?

Answer 1

Longer on inspiration than expiration
No gap

Question 2

What are bronchial breath sounds and what causes them?

Answer 2

Turbulence in the large airways
- Hollow, blowing

Causes:
- Consolidation
- Localised pulmonary fibrosis
- Pleural effusion (above the fluid)

Question 3

What is a wheeze and what causes it?

Answer 3

Continuous sound. Implies airway narrowing. Can be inspiratory or expiratory

Causes:
- Asthma (high pitch)
- COPD (low pitch)

Question 4

What are crackles and what causes them?

Answer 4

Interrupted sounds from airways that collapse on expiration.

Early inspiratory = COPD

Fine crackles = ILD
Medium crackles = LVF
Coarse crackles = fluid

Question 5

What can cause reduced intensity of breath sounds?

Answer 5

COPD
Pleural effusion
Pneumothorax
Pneumonia