What is dyspnea?
Subjective sensation of uncomfortable breathing
What is severe dyspnea?
What is orthopnea?
Dyspnea when lying down
What is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea?
Awaking at night and gasping for air; must sit up or stand up
What is a cough?
Protective reflex that helps clear the airways by an explosive expiration
What is a acute cough?
Cough that resolves within 2 to 3 weeks
What is a chronic cough?
Cough lasting longer than 3 weeks
What is abnormal sputum?
Changes in amount, consistency, color, and odour provide information about the progression of disease and the effectiveness of therapy. E.g yellow or green sputum = bacterial infection, pink = blood
What is hemoptysis?
Coughing up blood or bloody secretions
What is eupnea?
A normal breathing pattern
What are abnormal breathing patterns?
Adjustments made by the body to minimise the work of the respiratory muscles
What are Kussmaul respirations (hyperpnea)?
Slightly increased ventilatory rate, very large tidal volume, and no
expiratory pause
What is labored breathing?
Increased work of breathing
What is restricted breathing?
Disorders that stiffen the lungs or chest wall and decrease compliance
What are Cheyne-Stokes respirations?
Alternating periods of deep and shallow breathing; apnea lasting 15 to 60 seconds, followed by ventilations that increase in volume until a peak is reached, after which ventilation decreases again to apnea
What is cyanosis?
What is peripheral cyanosis?
- Best observed in the nail beds
What is central cyanosis?
What is clubbing?
What is ventilation (V)?
Air reaching alveoli
What is perfusion (Q)?
Blood reaching alveoli
What is the normal V/Q ratio?
0.8-0.9
What does mismatched V/Q cause?
Hypoxemia
What does low V/Q ratio cause?
Impaired gas exchange,
causing low partial oxygen