Respiratory Examination Flashcards
(22 cards)
What order to do you follow whilst examining the chest?
Inspection
Palpation
Percussion
Auscultation
What is involved in the inspection phase?
RR
Respiratory rhythm - normal breathing
Use of accessory muscles
Sound
Chest movement
Barrel Chest
Pigeon chest
Sternal Depression
What is a normal RR
12-15 at rest
What does noisy breathing indicate?
Degree of airway obstruction
What does snoring whilst breathing indicate?
Obstruction at the pharynx
What does stridor indicate?
Obstruction at level of larynx
What is stridor?
A harsh inspiratory noise
Why may there be uneven movement of the chest?
Chest wall deformity
Reduced lung movement due to increased stiffness of the lung
Pleural thickening or effusion or lung collapse
Barrel chest
Pigeon chest
sternal depression
What is hyper-resonance? - percussion
When the lung contains more air than usual
what can cause hyper-resonance percussion note?
emphysema
pneumothorax
What does a dull or impaired noise during percussion mean?
lung has less air
what may cause a dull or impaired percussion note?
Lung collapse
Consolidation
Fibrosis
What does a stony dullness noise during percussion mean?
fluid is present
what may cause a stone dullness percussion note?
large pleural effusion
What conditions can diminish breath sounds?
Abnormally thickened chest wall
emphysema
poor chest movements
fluid or air in the pleural cavity
Pleural thickening
Total obstruction of a airway leading to collapse of lung or lobe
What are potential abnormalities of breath sounds?
Sound being diminished
Increased breath sounds
alterations in quality of breath sounds
Added sounds
Voice sounds
When can increased breath sound be heard?
Through a thin chest wall or if the patient is over breathing
What are 3 examples of abnormal breath sounds?
Wheezes
Crackles
Pleural Friction Rub
What are the 6 sections of a resp exam?
Intro
Initial observation
Peripheral exam
Examination of back of chest
Examination of front of chest
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