Chest Physiotherapy and Respiration Review

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering respiratory physiology, mechanics of breathing, abnormal breathing patterns, chest physiotherapy techniques, airway management, and pulse oximetry.

Chest Physiotherapy (CPT)

A group of mechanical techniques including percussion, vibration, postural drainage, active cycle of breathing, thoracic expansion exercises, and positive expiratory pressure therapy to improve lung volumes and clear airway secretions.

Percussion

A chest physiotherapy technique involving rhythmically clapping the chest wall with cupped hands over specific lung segments for $3-5$\,minutes to dislodge mucus from bronchial walls.

Vibration

A manual technique in which flat hands are placed on the chest to apply fine, shaking pressure during exhalation to move loosened mucus up the bronchial passages.

Postural Drainage

A therapeutic positioning strategy that utilizes gravity to drain secretions from smaller lung airways into larger ones, with positions held for $5-15$\,minutes.

Suctioning

A nursing procedure used to remove secretions, mucus, blood, or vomitus from the respiratory tract using a suction catheter connected to a suction machine.

Incentive Spirometry

A noninvasive breathing technique that encourages voluntary deep breathing by providing visual feedback regarding inspiratory volume to prevent or treat atelectasis.

Invasive Mechanical Ventilation

A positive-pressure ventilation method administered via artificial airways such as endotracheal or tracheostomy tubes to assist cardiopulmonary gas exchange and reduce breathing effort.

Noninvasive Positive-Pressure Ventilation (NPPV)

Positive-pressure ventilation administered without an invasive artificial airway to improve gas exchange, reverse atelectasis, and prevent intubation in respiratory failure or COPD exacerbations.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

A mode of noninvasive ventilation that maintains a continuous, uniform stream of positive pressure throughout both inspiration and expiration.

Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP)

A noninvasive ventilation mode delivering two distinct pressure levels: inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) and expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP).

Chest Tube

A catheter inserted through the thoracic wall into the pleural space to remove air or fluid, re-establish intrapleural pressures, and promote lung expansion.

Respiration

The physiological process of exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and body tissues, consisting of ventilation, diffusion, and perfusion.

Ventilation

The mechanical component of respiration involving the movement of air into and out of the lungs, evaluated via respiratory rate, depth, rhythm, and $\text{ETCO}_2$.

Diffusion

The movement and exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide across the alveolar-capillary membrane between alveoli and pulmonary blood.

Perfusion

The flow of blood through pulmonary and systemic capillaries that facilitates gas transfer to and from tissue cells.

Eupnea

Normal, unlabored breathing featuring a regular rate and rhythm.

Inspiration

An active breathing process in which the diaphragm contracts and flattens, and the rib cage expands upward and outward to lower intrapulmonary pressure.

Expiration

A passive breathing process in which the diaphragm relaxes and elevates, decreasing thoracic volume and raising intrapulmonary pressure to push air out.

Hypercarbia

An elevated concentration of carbon dioxide in arterial blood, serving as the primary stimulus for the brainstem respiratory center to increase breathing rate and depth.

Hypoxemia

An abnormally low concentration of oxygen in arterial blood, which serves as the primary breathing stimulus in clients with chronic lung diseases.

Peripheral Chemoreceptors

Sensory receptors located in the carotid and aortic bodies that monitor arterial blood gas changes and transmit signals via the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves to the brainstem.

Bradypnea

A regular breathing pattern characterized by an abnormally slow rate of less than $12$\,breaths per minute in adults.

Tachypnea

A regular breathing pattern characterized by an abnormally rapid rate exceeding $20$\,breaths per minute in adults.

Hyperpnea

Respirations that are increased in depth, increased in rate beyond $20$\,breaths per minute, and labored, commonly occurring during physical exercise.

Apnea

The temporary or complete absence of respiration.

Dyspnea

Subjective distress characterized by difficult or labored breathing.

Orthopnea

Breathing difficulty that occurs when lying flat and is relieved by assuming an upright sitting or standing position.

Kussmaul's Respiration

An abnormal breathing pattern characterized by regular respirations that are abnormally deep and increased in rate.

Biot's Respiration

An abnormal respiratory pattern featuring periods of equal-depth breathing alternating unpredictably with periods of apnea.

Cheyne-Stokes Respiration

An abnormal pattern of breathing characterized by a gradual increase in depth, followed by a gradual decrease, and culminating in a period of apnea.

Stridor

A harsh, high-pitched, vibrating sound heard during breathing that indicates upper airway obstruction, such as from laryngitis or foreign body aspiration.

Rale

An abnormal rattling or bubbling sound produced by air moving through fluid or mucus in the respiratory passages.

Wheeze

A high-pitched, musical whistling sound caused by high-velocity airflow through narrowed or partially obstructed airways.

Oxygen Saturation ($\text{SpO}_2$)

The percentage of arterial hemoglobin saturated with oxygen, measured noninvasively with normal values ranging from $90\%$ to $100\%$.

Pulse Oximeter

A monitoring device containing light-emitting diodes and a photodetector that calculates arterial oxygen saturation ($\text{SpO}_2$) and pulse rate.

Breathing Patterns Waveforms

Graphical illustrations displaying physiological respiratory patterns (e.g., eupnea) alongside pathological conditions (e.g., tachypnea, bradypnea, apnea, Cheyne-Stokes, Biot's, Kussmaul's).