Alterations in Gas Exchange Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering alterations in gas exchange, asthma, COPD, pneumonia, and pulmonary edema.

Hypoxemia

A state of inadequate oxygen levels in the arterial blood, characterized clinically by neuro signs (restlessness, confusion), respiratory signs (tachypnea, dyspnea), and cardiac signs (tachycardia, cyanosis).

Chronic Bronchitis

A condition defined by chronic cough and sputum production with airflow limitation, caused by airway narrowing due to tissue inflammation and mucus hypersecretion.

Emphysema

A disease process involving the gradual destruction of alveolar septae and the pulmonary capillary bed, leading to impaired gas exchange and reduced blood oxygenation.

Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) Deficiency

A genetic deficiency accounting for $1\text{\text{\text{\text{\%}}}}$ to $2\text{\text{\text{\text{\%}}}}$ of COPD cases in the USA; normal AAT inhibits lysis of lung tissue.

Spirometry

The diagnostic test used to measure lung capacity and confirm a diagnosis of COPD, established when the postbronchodilator ratio of $FEV_1/FVC$ is $< 70\text{\%}$.

GOLD Classification

A system for classifying COPD severity based on postbronchodilator $FEV_1$: GOLD 1 (Mild, $\ge 80\%$), GOLD 2 (Moderate, $50\%-80\%$), GOLD 3 (Severe, $30\%-50\%$), and GOLD 4 (Very severe, $< 30\%$).

Cor Pulmonale

Right-sided heart failure caused primarily by constriction of pulmonary vessels in response to chronic alveolar hypoxia, leading to elevated pressures on the right side of the heart.

Hypercapnia

Elevated level of carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) in the blood; patients with chronic COPD often become tolerant to high $CO_2$ levels, shifting their primary respiratory drive to hypoxemia.

Polycythemia

A compensatory increase in red blood cell (RBC) count triggered by chronic hypoxemia, which can contribute to bluish-red skin discoloration in severe COPD.

Aerosol Nebulization Therapy

A drug administration technique that uses a compressor device to convert liquid medication into a fine mist for continuous inhalation.

Metered-Dose Inhaler (MDI)

A handheld inhalation device that delivers a measured, aerosolized dose of medication directly into the patient's airways.

Chest Physiotherapy (CPT)

An airway clearance technique combining percussion, vibration, and postural drainage to loosen and break up bronchial secretions.

Lung Volume Reduction Surgery (LVRS)

A surgical procedure that removes the most diseased portions of the lung to improve lung and chest wall mechanics and allow the diaphragm to return to its normal shape.

Bullectomy

The surgical removal of bullae, which are large, air-filled sacs that form in the lungs following the destruction of alveolar walls.

Pneumonia Diagnostic Method

Chest X-ray (CXR), which serves as the best diagnostic study for identifying lung infiltrates and confirming pneumonia.

Pulmonary Edema

A life-threatening fluid accumulation in the alveoli and lung interstitial space, commonly caused by systolic dysfunction, diastolic dysfunction, or renovascular hypertension.