Pulmonology: Respiratory System Pathology

Vocabulary flashcards covering pathological conditions, clinical signs, and terminology of the respiratory system.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome

Acute respiratory failure in adults characterized by tachypnea, dyspnea, cyanosis, tachycardia, and hypoxia; also called adult respiratory distress syndrome.

Asphyxia

Lack of oxygen that can lead to unconsciousness and death if not corrected immediately; common causes include drowning, foreign body in respiratory tract, poisoning, and electric shock; also called suffocation or asphyxiation.

Aspirate

Inhaling fluid or foreign object into airways.

Asthma

Disease caused by various conditions, such as allergies, and resulting in bronchospasm, excessive mucus production, inflammation, airway constriction, wheezing, and coughing.

Atelectasis

Condition in which lung tissue collapses, preventing respiratory exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Bronchogenic carcinoma

Malignant lung tumor that originates in bronchi; often associated with a history of cigarette smoking.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Progressive, chronic, and usually irreversible condition in which airflow to and from the lungs is decreased; patient can have severe dyspnea with exertion and cough; also called chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD).

Coronavirus disease

Highly infectious, potentially fatal respiratory infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); symptoms include fever, cough, and dyspnea; may be mild or life-threatening.

Crackles

Abnormal rattling or crackling sound heard during inhalation; caused by mucus or fluid in small airways; also called rales.

Croup

Acute viral infection in infants and children; symptoms include dyspnea and a characteristic barking cough.

Cystic fibrosis

Genetic condition causing patient to produce very thick, sticky mucus resulting in severe congestion within lungs and digestive system.

Emphysema

Pulmonary condition resulting from destruction of alveolar walls leading to overinflated alveoli; can occur as a result of long-term heavy smoking or exposure to air pollution; characterized by dyspnea on exertion.

Hyperventilation

To breathe too quickly (tachypnea) and too deeply (hyperpnea).

Hypoventilation

To breathe too slowly (bradypnea) and too shallowly (hypopnea).

Hypoxemia

Condition of having insufficient amount of oxygen in bloodstream; measured by arterial blood gases (ABGs) test.

Hypoxia

Having insufficient amount of oxygen available to tissues; may be caused by low environmental oxygen level (such as altitude sickness), conditions interfering with inhaling air into the lungs (such as COPD), or blood conditions (such as anemia).

Infant respiratory distress syndrome

Condition found in premature infants whose lungs have not had time to fully develop; lungs unable to expand fully, causing extreme difficulty in breathing and can result in death; also known as hyaline membrane disease (HMD) or respiratory distress syndrome of the newborn.

Influenza

Acute viral infection of airways; usually highly contagious; symptoms include chills, fever, body aches, and dry cough.

Patent

General term meaning open, as in patent airways.

Phlegm

Thick mucus secreted by mucous membranes lining respiratory tract; phlegm that is coughed out through mouth is called sputum.

Pleural effusion

Abnormal presence of fluid or gas in pleural cavity; presence of this fluid can be detected by tapping chest (percussion) or listening with stethoscope (auscultation).

Pleural friction rub

Crunching sound made when inflamed pleurae rub against each other; likened to sound of walking on fresh snow.

Pleurisy

Inflammation of pleura.

Pneumoconiosis

Abnormal condition resulting from inhalation of environmental particles into the lungs; as these particles accumulate, lung function is reduced; examples include anthracosis (inhaling coal dust) and asbestosis (inhaling asbestos).

Pneumonia

Acute inflammatory condition of lung, which can be caused by bacterial and viral infections, diseases, and chemicals; severe dyspnea and death can result when alveoli fill with fluid (pulmonary infiltrate).

Pneumothorax

Collection of air or gas in pleural cavity, which can result in collapse of lung.

Pulmonary edema

Condition in which lung tissue retains an excessive amount of fluid; results in dyspnea.

Pulmonary embolism

Blood clot or air bubble in pulmonary artery or one of its branches; lack of blood flow to lung tissue results in an infarct.

purulent

containing pus, as in purulent sputum

rhonchi

low pitched abnormal sound similar to snoring

severe acute respiratory syndrome

severe and highly contagious viral lung infection with high fever

sleep apnea

condition in which person stops breathing for more than 10 seconds while sleeping

sputum

mucus or phlegm coughed up and split out from the respiratory tract

sudden infant death syndrome

unexpected and unexplained death of apparently well infant, sleep apnea, airway spasms, and failure or nerves to stimulate diaphragm have been studied as possible causes

tuberculosis

infectious disease caused by tubercle bacillus, mycobacterium tuberculosis; most commonly affects respiratory system and causes inflammation and calcification in lungs

wheeze

abnormal high-pitched whistling sound heard during either inhalation or exhalation, caused by narrowing of bronchi as asthma or COPD

arterial blood gases

laboratory test for levers of oxygen and carbon dioxide present in blood

chest x ray

radiographic image of heart and lungs, may be anterior view, posterior view, or lateral view

polysomnography

process of recording several body functions while person sleeps, includes breathing pattern, brain waves, oxygen level, and heart rate, used to diagnose sleep apnea; also called sleep apnea study

pulmonary angiography

injecting contrast material into blood vessels for the purpose of taking x-ray of arteries and veins of the lungs

pulmonary function test

diagnostic procedure to assess respiratory function by using spirometer to measure airflow and lung volumes

respiratory rate

number of breaths per minute

sputum culture and sensitivity

testing sputum by placing it on culture medium and observing any bacterial growth; specimen tested to determine the selection of effective antibiotics

sputum cytology

examination of sputum for malignant cells

sweat test

diagnostic test for cystic fibrosis, persons with this disease lose excessive amount of salt in their sweat

tuberculin skin tests

diagnostic test for exposure to tuberculosis bacteria by injecting purified protein derivative under the surface of the skin and evaluating the site for reaction

aerosol therapy

medication is suspended in a mist so that it may be inhaled, often delivered by nebulizer or metered-dose inhaler

antitussive

medication to relieve the urge to cough

bronchodilator

medication that causes bronchitis to dilate

cardiopulmonary resuscitation

combination of external compression to sternum and rescue breathing to maintain blood flow and flow and air movement in and it of lungs during cardiac and respiratory arrest

continuous positive airway pressure

use of a device that supplies constant and steady air pressure through a mask

endotracheal intubation

placing tube through the mouth and into the trachea to maintain open airway and facilitate artificial ventilation

expectorant

medication that improves the ability to cough up mucus from respiratory tract

heimlich maneuver

technique for removing foreign body from the trachea or pharynx by exerting sharp pressure on the diaphragm

metered-dose inhaler

mechanism that delivers aerosol therapy in a single puff of mist or dry powder

mucolytic

medication that liquifies mucus so that is easier to cough up and out of the airways

noninvasive ventilation

use of mechanical device to provide breathing support to person able to breathe on their own but not getting enough oxygen, does not require intubation or artificial airway.

nasal cannula

two pronged plastic device for delivering oxygen into the nose

nebulizer

mechanism that delivers aerosol therapy mist, usually via a mask, over time as a person breathes

postural drainage

drainage of secretions from bronchi by placing the patient in a position that uses gravity to promote drainage, may be combined with rhythmic clapping of chest with cupped hands, called percussion or cupping to assist in breaking loose secretions, used for treatment of cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis

ventilator

mechanical device to assist the patient to breathe