Adult Respiratory Disorders

Flashcards covering key concepts, assessments, disorders, and nursing interventions for adult respiratory disorders, including COPD, pneumonia, and atelectasis.

Nasopharynx

Upper part of the pharynx, located behind the nasal cavity and above the soft palate, part of the upper respiratory tract.

Soft Palate

The fleshy, flexible part toward the back of the roof of the mouth.

Epiglottis

A leaf-shaped flap of cartilage located behind the tongue, at the top of the larynx, closing the windpipe during swallowing.

Larynx

Voice box, contains the vocal folds.

Trachea

Windpipe, extending from the larynx to the bronchi.

Bronchus

Airway in the respiratory tract that conducts air into the lungs.

Bronchioles

Small airways that extend from the bronchi into the alveoli.

Alveoli

Tiny air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange occurs.

Diaphragm

A large, dome-shaped muscle at the base of the chest cavity, crucial for breathing.

Pleural Membranes

Layers of tissue that surround the lungs and line the thoracic cavity.

Hypoxia

A state of oxygen deficiency in the body, characterized by pallor or cyanosis, restlessness, apprehension, confusion, dizziness, fatigue, decreased LOC, tachycardia, tachypnea, and changes in blood pressure.

Barrel-Chest

A condition in which the chest appears rounded, often associated with chronic lung diseases like emphysema.

Biot's Respirations

Irregular breathing patterns characterized by groups of quick, shallow inspirations followed by periods of apnea, often seen in head injuries.

Cheyne-Stokes Respiration

A breathing pattern characterized by regular increases and decreases in the rate and depth of breathing, alternating with periods of apnea.

Kussmaul Respirations

Deep and labored breathing pattern often associated with severe metabolic acidosis.

Accessory Muscles (Retractions)

Muscles of the neck, chest, and abdomen used to aid breathing during respiratory distress, causing skin to pull inward between ribs or at suprasternal notch.

Agonal Breathing

Gasps or very irregular, ineffective breaths, typically a sign of severe respiratory distress or cardiac arrest.

Bronchial Sounds

Loud, high-pitched breath sounds heard over the trachea, with a short inspiratory phase and a long expiratory phase.

Bronchovesicular Sounds

Medium-pitched breath sounds heard over the main stem bronchi, with equal inspiratory and expiratory phases.

Vesicular Breath Sounds

Soft, low-pitched breath sounds heard over most of the lung fields, with a long inspiratory phase and a short expiratory phase.

Rales (Crackles)

Abnormal breath sounds described as coarse or fine, caused by air passing through fluid or re-opening of small airways.

Wheezes

High-pitched, whistling abnormal breath sounds caused by narrowed airways.

Stridor

A harsh, high-pitched sound heard on inspiration, often indicating upper airway obstruction.

Pleural Friction Rub

A grating or squeaking sound abnormal breath sound, caused by inflamed pleural surfaces rubbing together.

Diminished Breath Sounds

Muffled or faint breath sounds, indicating decreased air movement in the lungs.

Absent Breath Sounds

No air movement heard in specific lung areas, indicating severe pathology or collapse.

Atelectasis

Collapse of a lung or part of a lung, most common in post-surgical patients, presenting with increased work of breathing, hypoxemia, diminished breath sounds, and increasing dyspnea when supine.

Pulmonary Toileting

A set of interventions focused on clearing secretions from the lungs, including IS (incentive spirometry), TCDB (turn, cough, deep breathe), increased HOB, suctioning, and early ambulation.

Pneumonia

An infection that occurs when a pathogen enters and multiplies in the lungs, characterized by fever, shaking chills, chest pain, dyspnea, productive cough, and crackles/wheezes.

Pulmonary Embolism

A blockage in one of the pulmonary arteries in the lungs, typically caused by a blood clot that has traveled from a leg.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

A serious lung disease that over time makes it hard to breathe, characterized by airways and air sacs losing elastic quality, destroyed alveolar walls, thickened airway walls with inflammation, and increased mucus production.

Smoking (COPD Cause)

Responsible for roughly 8 out of 10 COPD deaths and the number one cause of COPD; 75% of cases occur in people with a history of smoking.

Long-Term Exposure to Lung Irritants (COPD Cause)

Exposure to second-hand smoke, chemicals, dusts, or fumes from the environment or workplace that increases the risk for COPD.

Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) Deficiency (COPD Cause)

A genetic condition where individuals lack a protective protein for the lungs, predisposing them to COPD even without smoking or significant pollutant exposure.

Chronic Bronchitis

A component of COPD characterized by inflammation and excess mucus production in the airways, often due to smoke and environmental pollutants, impacting eating ability due to SOB.

Emphysema

A component of COPD characterized by the destruction of alveoli walls, leading to distended alveoli and decreased gas exchange.

Spirometry (COPD Diagnosis)

A lung function test used to diagnose COPD, based on signs/symptoms, history, and physical examination.

Respiratory Infections (COPD Complication)

High mucus volume in the lungs increases the risk for pneumonia in COPD patients, indicated by fever, increased cough, pleuritic chest pain, increased difficulty breathing, increased WBC count, hypoxia, and hypoxemia.

Cor Pulmonale (Right-Sided Heart Failure)

A potential complication of COPD caused by hypoxia and hypoxemia, leading to increasing dyspnea, fatigue, enlarged/tender liver, warm/cyanotic hands/feet with bounding pulses, cyanotic lips, pulmonary hypertension, distended neck veins, right ventricular enlargement, and dependent edema.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

An intervention for COPD patients involving education and exercise training to prevent de-conditioning of general and pulmonary muscles.

Diaphragmatic Breathing (Abdominal Breathing)

A breathing technique used to strengthen the diaphragm, performed by lying on the back with knees bent and breathing from the abdomen while keeping the chest still.

Pursed-Lip Breathing

A breathing technique involving inhaling through the nose, pursing lips as if to whistle, and slowly exhaling through the mouth for at least twice the inhale duration, using abdominal muscles to squeeze out air.

Supplemental Oxygen (COPD)

Administered to COPD patients experiencing respiratory distress; initiated for SpO2 < 88% and adjusted to achieve an SpO2 between 88%-92%.

Impaired Gas Exchange (Nursing Intervention Focus)

Nursing interventions include monitoring ABG values, pulse oximetry, dyspnea rating, lung sounds, respiratory rate/effort, accessory muscle use, skin/mucous membranes for cyanosis, mental status changes, elevating HOB, positioning with good lung dependent, administering O2, and teaching breathing exercises.

Ineffective Airway Clearance (Nursing Intervention Focus)

Nursing interventions include controlled coughing, monitoring O2 sats, auscultating lung sounds, suctioning, encouraging TCDB, hydration (2-3 L/day), ambulation, and chest physiotherapy/positioning.

Nutritional Interventions (COPD Weight Loss)

Strategies for patients with weight loss due to shortness of breath, including eating when most hungry/rested, small frequent meals, bronchodilators 30 minutes before meals, easy-to-chew foods, non-gas-forming foods, avoiding dry foods and fluids before/during meals, and high-calorie/protein supplements.

Energy Conservation (COPD Activity Intolerance)

Strategies for patients with activity intolerance, including pacing activities with rest, avoiding working with arms raised, sitting with elbows on a table, using adaptive tools, gradually increasing activity, avoiding rushing ADLs, referring to pulmonary rehabilitation, and administering O2 during high energy use.

Anxiety Management (Dyspnea)

Interventions for patients experiencing anxiety related to difficulty breathing, including staying with the patient, having a written plan for dyspnea episodes, stressing breathing techniques, teaching relaxation exercises (progressive relaxation, self-hypnosis, biofeedback), and administering anti-anxiety/morphine medication as ordered.

Ineffective Breathing Pattern (Nursing Intervention Focus)

Nursing interventions include assessing rate, depth, effort every 4 hours, monitoring ABGs and pulse oximetry, determining/treating the cause, placing the patient in Fowler or semi-Fowler position, and utilizing diaphragmatic breathing with a 2-second in, 4-second out pattern.