Med Term Exam 3: Pulmonology

apnea

absence of spontaneous respiration due to respiratory failure or arrest

pne/o-

breathing

bradypnea

abnormally slow rate of breathing due to brain damage or chemical imbalance in the blood

dyspnea

abnormal, difficult, or painful breathing

orthopnea

difficulty breathing when lying supine; patient sleeps sitting up

tachypnea

abnormally fast rate of breathing due to lung disease

cough

protective mechanism to forcefully expel things from the lungs

ex-

away from

pector/o-

chest

-ptysis

condition of coughing up

expectoration

coughing up sputum

hemoptysis

coughing up blood

orth/o-

straight

anoxia

complete lack or severely decreased level of oxygen in arterial blood and body tissues

ox/o-

oxygen

asphyxia

abnormally high level of carbon dioxide and an abnormally low level of oxygen in the blood

cyanosis

bluish-gray skin due to a low level of oxygen and a high level of carbon dioxide in the blood

hypercapnia

very high level of carbon dioxide in arterial blood

hyper-

above

capn/o-

carbon dioxide

hypoxemia

very low level of oxygen in arterial blood

hypo-

below

arterial blood gases (ABGs)

blood test to measure the oxygen and carbon dioxide in a sample of arterial blood

carboxyhemoglobin

blood test to measure the amount of carbon monoxide in blood

-usually done for patients exposed to fire or fumes

oximetry

noninvasive test to measure oxygen saturation of the blood; emits light waves that reflect off of hemoglobin

pulmonary function test (PFT)

breathing test to measure the volume of air that can be forcefully inhaled or exhaled

sleep study

procedure to determine whether a patient has obstructive sleep apnea; uses sensors to measure movement, breathing, and oxygen level

-CPAP used to treat sleep apnea

sputum culture and sensitivity (C&S)

lab test to identify which bacterium is causing lung infection and the antibiotic sensitivity

tuberculosis test

tests that show whether a person has been exposed to tuberculosis

chest radiography (CXR)

x-ray of the chest

CT & MRI scans

tomography scans that take many images in small slices to provide detailed picture of lung structure

-CT = uses x-rays

-MRI = uses magnetic field

auscultation and percussion (A&P)

assessment of lung health in which breath sounds are listened to with a stethoscope as the back is tapped with fingertips

cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

procedure to help someone who has stopped breathing and whose heart is not beating

chest percussion therapy

helps loosen mucus

incentive spirometry

procedure to encourage deep breathing in patients post-surgery using a measuring device

nebulizer treatment

procedure in which medication is aerosolized for deep inhalation

endotracheal intubation

insertion of endotracheal tube into the mouth, through the vocal cords, and into the trachea to establish an airway to provide oxygen

oxygen therapy

provision of additonal oxygen to patients with lung disease; may use a nasal cannula, oxygen mask, or oxygen hood

antibiotics

treat bacterial infections of the respiratory tract

antituberculars

antibiotic drugs used only to treat tuberculosis; more than one must be administered for 9 months

antitussives

suppress cough centers in the brain for patients with nonproductive cough

antivirals

treat influenza in at-risk patients; also sued to treat pneumonia

bronchodilators

relax smooth muscle around bronchi to dilate bronchi

corticosteroids

block immune response that causes inflammation in the lungs

expectorants

reduce the thickness of sputum so it can be coughed up and out of the chest

smoking cessation drugs

bind to nicotine receptors and provide a gradually decreasing dose of nicotine until a patient no longer needs nicotine

bronchoscopy

insertion of a lighted bronchoscope through the mouth and larynx to examine the trachea and bronchi

chest tube insertion

placement of a plastic tube in the thoracic cavity to remove air, fluid, or blood that has accumulated due to trauma or infection

lung resection

surgery to remove all or part of the lung; may be done for cancer biopsy or to treat emphysema

thoracentesis

needle inserted into the thoracic cavity to remove fluid from the pleural space

thorac/o-

chest, thorax

-centesis

procedure to puncture

thoracotomy

incision into the thoracic cavity; the first step in any thorax or lung procedure

tracheostomy

opening into the trachea and insertion of a plastic tube to provide temporary or permanent access to the lungs for patients needing respiratory support

-"trach"

-stomy

surgically created opening

upper respiratory infection (URI)

bacterial or viral infection of the upper respiratory tract; a head cold

asthma

hyperreactivity of the bronchi or bronchioles to an allergen or inhaled substances

bronchitis

acute or chronic infection or inflammation of the bronchi

-acute = due to infection

-chronic = smoking or pollution

bronchiectasis

permanent enlargement and loss of elasticity in the bronchioles

bronchi/o-

bronchus

-iectasis

condition of dilation

reactive airway disease

blanket term for conditions with reversible airway narrowing and wheezing

abnormal breath sounds (BS)

lung sounds that are different from normal an may indicate a lung disease or condition

atelectasis

collapse of all or part of the lung

atel/o-

incomplete

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

any type of chronic obstructive lung disease, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema

normal breath sounds

soft wind through a tunnel

pleural friction rub

creaking or grating, due to inflammation of pleura

crackles/rales

irregular crackling or bubbling, due to fluid or infection in the alveoli

rhonchi

humming, whistling, or snoring, due to mucus or foreign body obstruction

stridor

high-pitched crowing, due to edema or obstruction

wheezes

high-pitched whistling or squeaking, due to asthma attack or reaction

cystic fibrosis (CF)

inherited condition caused by a recessive gene; causes problems with respiratory, digestive, and sweat secretions

-mucus is too thick and blocks alveoli

cyst/o-

bladder

fibr/o-

fiber

empyema

localized pus in the lung due to bacterial infection

em-

in

py/o-

pus

influenza

respiratory infection caused by a virus

-fever, muscle ache, cough

legionnaires' disease

severe, sometimes fatal bacterial infection

-starts with flulike symptoms and progresses to severe pneumonia

-liver and kidney degeneration

occupational lung diseases

group of diseases caused by constant workplace exposure to inhaled particles

-asbestosis

lung cancer

most common among smokers when tar deposits in the lungs become cancerous and spread

pneumonia

infection of the lobes of the lungs

-fluid, white blood cells, and microorganisms fill passages

aspir/o-

to breathe in

pulmoary edema

build up of fluid in the alveoli caused by left-sided heart failure, chest wall trauma, or pneumonia

severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)

severe, communicable viral illness that can be fatal; associated with close contact and enclosed spaces

pulmonary embolism

traveling clot or fat globule that lodges in the lung, blocking blood flow and causing SOB (shortness of breath)

tuberculosis (TB)

communicable disease that is caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis

-causes nodules in lungs

hemothorax

blood in the thoracic cavity, usually due to trauma

-thorax

chest

pleural effusion

accumulation of excess fluid in the pleural space due to inflammation or infection

effus/o-

flowing out

pleurisy (pleuritis)

inflammation or infection of the pleura that causes the two pleural layers to rub against one another and create a pleural friction rub

pleur/o-

lung membrane

pneumothorax

air in the pleural space that causes the lung to collapse; usually result of penetrating trauma

atel/o-

incomplete