Term | Definition |
Asthma - Description | Chronic inflammation of airways caused by increased hypersensitivity to various stimuli |
Asthma - Etiology | Triggers - respiratory infection, allergens, cold air exposure or sudden temp change, cigarettes/smoke, excitement/stress, exercise |
Asthma - s/s | Varies - wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath; dyspnea, flaring nostrils, diminished wheezing, anxiety, cyanosis, inability to speak; respiratory failure if untreated |
Asthma - Treatment | Reduce exposure to triggers; Anti-inflammatory agents for prevention; bronchodilators for relaxing inflamed airway; PT - care giver edu, airway clearance, breathing exercises, relaxation, endurance and strength training |
Bronchitis - Description | Inflammation of bronchi; hypertrophy of mucus secreting glands, increased mucus secretion, mucus blockage, insufficient oxygen; productive cough for 3 months over 2 consecutive years |
Bronchitis - Etiology | Acute - cold viruses; exposure to smoke and other air pollutants
Chronic - cigarette smoking (most common cause); exposure to air pollutants; dust; toxic gas |
Bronchitis - s/s | All - persistent cough with production of thick sputum; increased use of accessory muscles to breath; wheezing; dyspnea; increased pulmonary artery pressure
Chronic - cough that is worse in the morning and cold weather; frequent respiratory infections |
Bronchitis - Treatment | Relieve symptoms and improve breathing
Acute - rest, fluids, breathing warm moist air, cough suppresants and aspirin
Chronic - antibiotics, anti inflammatory, bronchodilators
Lifestyle changes - stop smoking, humidifier, face mask, pulmonary rehab |
Pulmonary Rehabilitation | Airway clearance, breathing exercises, and endurance/strength training |
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) - Description | Group of lung diseases that block airflow due to narrowing of bronchial trees; chronic bronchitis + emphysema; damage caused by chronic asthmatic attacks; Progression - alveolar destruction & air trapping; increase total lung capacity and residual volume |
COPD - Etiology | Majority - long term smoking or exposure to smoke
Some- air pollutants; occupational fumes
Rare - genetic disorder causes low levels of a protein |
COPD - S/S | Excessive mucus production, chronic productive cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, fatigue, and reduced exercise capacity |
COPD - Treatment | Meds - bronchodilators, inhaled steroids, supplemental oxygen, antibiotics
Surgery - lung volume reduction; bullectomy; lung transplant
Lifestyle - stop smoking, influenza shots, avoid irritants, maintain good nutrition, pulmonary rehab |
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) - Description | Autosomal recessive genetic disease of exocrine glands; primarily affects lungs, pancreas, liver, intestines, sinuses, sex organs; inheret 2 faulty CF genes, 1 from each parent |
CF - Etiology | Mutation on chromosome 7; Defective gene and it's protein products cause production of unusually thick, sticky mucus; leads to life threatening lung infections, obstructs pancreas and inhibits normal digestion/absorption of food |
CF - S/S | Varies - salty tasting skin, persistent productive cough, frequent lung infections, wheezing, shortness of breath, poor growth/weight gain with good appetite, and frequent greasy/bulky stools |
CF -Tx | Meds - antibiotics, nutritional supplements, mucolytics, bronchodilators
PT - airway clearance, assisted coughing, breathing techniques, and ventilatory mm training
General exercise for all except with severe lung disease |
Emphysema - Description | Alveolar walls are gradually destroyed; alveoli are turned into large irregular pockets with gaping holes in the walls; elastic fibers that hold open bronchioles are destroyed and they collapse during exhale not letting air escape; dead space increases |
Emphysema - Etiology | Smoking is leading cause
1-2% of people produce not enough protein that protects elastin and enzymes propagate |
Emphysema - S/S | Shortness of breath; wheezing, chronic coughing, orthopnea, barrel chest, increased use of accessory mm's, increased respiratory rate, fatigue and reduced exercise capacity |
Emphysema - Tx | Meds - broncho dilators, inhaled steroids, supplemental oxygen, antibiotics
Surgery - lung volume reduction, bullectomy, lung transplant
Lifestyle - stop smoking, annual influenza shot, avoid irritants, maintain good nutrition, and pulmonary rehab |
Pneumonia - Description | Inflammation of the lungs; alveoli membrane break down |
Pneumonia - Etiology | Usually caused by bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic infection |
Pneumonia - S/S | Varies - fever, cough, shortness of breath, sweating, shaking chills, chest pain with breathing, headache, mm pain and fatigue |
Pneumonia - Tx | Varies - antibiotics for bacterial and myoplasma
Antivirals for a few forms of viral
Antifungal for fungus
All - rest and drink plenty of fluids |
Pulmonary Edema - Description | Fluid collects in alveoli making it difficult to breath; Acute is a medical emergency |
Pulmonary Edema - Etiology | L ventricle failure; pressure builds in L atrium and then the pulmonary veins and capillaries and fluid is pushed through capillary walls into alveoli
Non-cardiac - pneumonia, exposure to a toxin or medication, smoke, respiratory distress, high elevation |
Pulmonary Edema - S/S | Sudden symptoms - extreme shortness of breath and difficulty breathing; feeling of suffocating or drowning; gasping; anxiety; restlessness; coughing; frothy, bloody sputum; chest pain and rapid irregular pulse |
Pulmonary Edema - Tx | Variable - supplemental oxygen, medications, lifestyle change |
Acute Pulmonary Edema - Life Threatening - Call an ambulance | Extreme SOB with profuse sweating; bubbly/wheezy/gasping during breathing; Cough production frothy sputum maybe with blood; cyanotic; rapid irregular pulse; severe drop in BP |
Pulmonary Embolism (PE) - Description | 1+ arteries in the lungs become blocked; can be life threatening; prompt tx saves lives |
Pulmonary Embolism (PE) - Etiology | Mostly, blood clots from LE's |
Pulmonary Embolism (PE) - S/S | Varies - sudden onset SOB; chest pain that worsens with deep breathing, coughing, eating or bending; coughing bloody sputum; wheezing; LE swelling; excess sweating; rapid or irregular pulse; light-headed; fainting |
Pulmonary Embolism (PE) - Tx | Prompt anticoagulants and thrombolytics
Surgery - clear clot or insert filter into inferior vena cava
Preventing deep leg veins - compression stockings, pneumatic compression, physical activity and drinking fluids |
Restrictive Lung Disease (RLD) - Description | Abnormal reduction in lung expansion and pulmonary ventilation |
Restrictive Lung Disease (RLD) - Etiology | Abnormal lung parenchyma, abnormal pleura, and disorders affecting ventilator pumps function |
Restrictive Lung Disease (RLD) - s/s | Dyspnea on exertion; persistent non productive cough; increased respiratory rate; hypoxemia; decreased vital capacity; abnormal breath sounds; reduced exercise tolerance |
Restrictive Lung Disease (RLD) - Tx | Varies - antibiotics; mechanical ventilation; supplemental oxygen; nutrition support and pulmonary rehab |