Lincare QP3

 Alveolar capillary memebrane

The walls of the alveoli and pulmonary capillaries which act as a semipermeable membrane to interchange various substances between the blood and tissue fluid

AAT

Alpha antitrypsin

ABG

Arterial blood gas

Acute bronchiolitis

Inflammation of the bronchioles

Acute bronchiolitis

Inflammation of one or more bronchi. The acute stge of the disease is typically an extention of an upper airway respiratory infection. Usually caused by a virus. Exposure to physical and chemical irritants inhaled in air polluted by dust, automobile exhaust, industrial fumes, and tobacco smoke may make it more likely that a person will contract acute bronchitis and that they will have it longer 

Acute hypercapnia

Carbon dioxide retention that occurs in a short period of time making the arterial blood more acidic

Acute myocardial infraction

A heart attack. Death of the cells of an area of the heart muscle (myocardium) occuring as a result of oxygen deprivation whcih in turn is caused by an interruption of the blood supplyA heart attack. Death of the cells of an area of the heart muscle (myocardium) occurring as a result 

Alveoli

Microscopic air sacs. The site in which gas exchange takes place within the lungs

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease. ALS is an incurable, progressive degenerative neuromuscular disease

Anemia

An abnormal condition characterized by a reduction in the number of circulating red blood cells or the amount of normal hemoglobin available to carry oxygen. Represents an insufficient carrying capacity.

Angina pectoris

Acute pain in the chest resulting from decreased blood supply to the heart muscle (myocardial ischemia)

Anti coagulant

A substance that stops the blood from clotting

Apnea

Cessation of breathing 

Arrythmia

Variation of the normal rhythm of the heart

Arterial blood gas

Invasive technique of drawing arterial blood that helps evaluate gas exchange in the lungs. Measures the blood's acid base balance (pH), partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2), partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2), and bicarbonate level (HCO3).

Arteries

Blood vessels containing blood traveling away from the heart to vital organs and tissues throughout the body

Atrium/Atria

Receiving chambers of the heart

Asthma

Reversible airway disease. Condition marked by recurrent attacks of difficulty breathing due to constriction of the muscles surrounding the airways or inflammation of the air passages. It is characterized by hyper-responsive airways that overreact to environmental triggers causing symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest pain when airways tighten, swell, or fill with mucus

Barrel chest

Chest deformity characterized by a greater-than-normal front-to-back diameter (chest is abnormally round an bulging). Indicates that the lungs have lost their elasticity and the diaphragm is flattened causing air trapping within the lungs

Bi-level

Positive airway pressure

BID

Twice a day

Bradycardia

Slowness of the heartbeat as evidenced by slowing of the pulse rate to less than sixty beats per minute

Bronchi

The large air tube(s) leading from the trachea to the lungs

Bronchiectasis

Abnormal stretching and enlarging of the respirtory passages due to mucus blockage. The blockage and resulting infection cause inflammation leading to weakening and widening of the passages. Weakened passages can become scarred and deformed, allowing more mucus and bacteria to accumulate, resulting in a cycle of infection and blocked airways 

Bronchioles

Branches of bronchi smaller than one millimeter in diameter

Bronchospasms

Spasmodic contraction of the muscular lining of the smaller divisions of the bronchi such as occurs in asthma

Cardiomyopathy

A general diagnostic term designating primary myocardial disease

Chey-Stokes respiration

A type of periodic breathing with cycles of gradually increasing tidal volumes to maximum then progressively decreasing tidal volumes terminating a period of apnea

Chronic

Persisting for a long time; Applied to a morbid (disease) state showing little change or extremely slow progression over a long period

Chronic bronchitis

Chronic cough for at least three months in two successive years. Condtion characterized by increased secretions from the bronchial mucosa and obstruction of the respiratory irritants. Causes shortness of breath, persistent coughing, and experctoration. 

Chronic hypercapnia

Carbon dioxide retention that occurs over long periods. The blood pH will be normal due to the kidney's ability to compensate by reabsorbing HCO3

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

A function category designating a chronic condition of persistent obstruction of bronchial airflow. Chronic bronchitis, emphysema

Compliance

Measurement of the elastic properties of the lung. Low compliance values indicate the lungs are difficult to inflate

Congestive heart failure

A condition in which the heart can no longer pump enough blood to the rest of the body. As the heart's pumping action is lost blood may back up in other areas of the body causing fluid build up in the lungs, the liver, the gastrointestinal tract, and the arms and legs

COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Cor pulmonale

Cardiac condition in which there is right ventricular heart failure secondary to pulmonary hyper tension

Coronary arteries

Two large arteries that branch from the ascending aorta and supply the heart muscle with blood 

CPAP

Continuous positive airway pressure

Cyanosis

A bluish discoloration of the skin and mucus membranes due to reduced oxygen on the hemoglobin in the blood

Cystic fibrosis

Hereditary disorder that affects the cells that produce mucus, sweat, saliva, and digestive juices causing these secretions to become thick and sticky and plugging up tubes, ducts, and passage ways, especially in the pancreas and lungs. The disease is inherited as a recessive trait

Diaphragmatic breathing

A breathing technique to improve ventilation and decrease energy consumption. This procedure consists of breathing with the abdomen more than the accessory muscles.

Diastole

Period of time when the heart relaxes after contraction

Dyspnea

Difficulty breathing. Descriptive term used to describe the patient's awareness that breathing is difficult

Edema

Abnormal excess accumulation of fluid in tissues or cavities

Emphysema

Lung disease that develops slowly over a period of years and may lead to serious disability and death. The lung's alveoli are weakened or destroyed and eventually there is a loss of elasticity in the lung tissue. Inspired air become trapped in the lungs making breathing difficult, especially during expiration

EPAP

Expiratory positive airway pressure

Functional residual capacity (FRC)

Amount of air that remains in the lungs at the end of normal expiration

HCO3

Bicarbonate of blood plasma. An important parameter of acid base balance measured in blood gas analysis

Hypercapnia (Hypercarbia)

Increased carbon dioxide concentration in the blood. Condition occurs when breathing is impaired and the removal of CO2 in the tissues. The degree of CO2 retention is measure by the arterial and/or end tidal PCO2

Hypopnea

An abnormal respiratory event lasting at least ten seconds causing a drop in saturation of at least four percent

Hypoxemia

Decreased amount of oxygen in the blood

Hypoxia

Deficiency of oxygen reaching the body tissues

IDTF

Independent diagnostic testing facility

Interstitial

Referring to the space between tissues

IPAP

Inspiratory positive airway pressure

Kussmaul breathing

Air hunger. Deep, sighing breathing

Larynx

Voice box. Upper portion of the trachea which encases the vocal cords

LPM

Liters per minute

Mucociliary escalator

Defense mechanism of the respiratory system. Tiny cilia line the respiratory tract and aid in clearing the lungs of mucus by moving the mucus to the back of the throat where it can be expelled or swallowed

Myocardium

Middle muscular layer of the heart wall

NHV

Non invasive home ventilation

Non invasive ventilation

This refers to the provisions of ventilatory support through the patient's upper airway using a mask or similar device

O2

Oxygen

ONO

Overnight oximetry

Orthopnea

Difficulty breathing when lying down. Improved upon standing or sitting 

OSA

Obstructive sleep apnea

Oximetry

Noninvasive method to determine a patients oxygen saturation (SaO2) in the arterial blood

PaCO2

Partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood

PaCO2 - (PCO2)

Partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood. Gives information about the production of CO2 through metabolic processes and the removal of it from the body via the lungs

PaO2

Partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood

PaO2 - (PO2)

Partial pressure of Oxygen (O2) in the blood. Measures the oxygen content of the arterial blood, most of which is bound to hemoglobin, forming oxyhemoglobin

pH

Measure of the acid base balance in the arterial blood. A small change in this item may reflect a drastic change in CO2 in the blood or tissue

Pleura

Membrane lining the chest cavity and covering the lungs

Pneumonia

Disease that causes inflammation of the lungs

Polycythemia

Increased number of red blood cells in the blood. May be caused by chronic hypoxemia

POX

Pulse oximetry

PRN

As needed

Pulmonary function testing (PFT)

A group of tests that measures how well the lungs take in and release air and how well they move gases such as oxygen from the atmosphere into the body's circulation

Pulmonary hypertension

High blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries

Pulse oximetry

Procedure for measuring the concentration of oxygen in the blood

Pursed lip breathing

A breathing retraining exercise consisting of inhaling through the nose and exhaling against pursed lips. This allows the patient to slow the respiratory rate, improve ventilation, release air trapped in the lungs, keep the airways open longer and decrease the work of breathing, relive shortness of breath, and promote general relaxation

Q4

Every 4 hours

QD

Once a day

QID

Four times a day

Respiration

Exchange of gases between an organism and its environment

Respiratory failure

A life threatening condition in which respiratory function is inadequate to maintain the body's need for oxygen supply and CO2 removal while at rest.

Respiratory insufficiency

Condition in which the lungs cannot take in enough oxygen or expel sufficient CO2 to meet the needs of the cells of the body

SaO2

Saturation of oxygen in the arterial blood. Measures as a percentage of the hemoglobin saturated with oxygen

SOB

Shortness of breath

Systole

The part of the cardiac cycle in which the heart is contracting

Tachycardia

Elevated heart rate above 100 beats per minute

Tachypnea

Very rapid respirations - Above 20 breaths per minute

TID

Three times a day

Tidal volume

The volume of gas inspired or expired during each respiratory cycle

Tracheostomy

Creation of an opening into the trachea through the neck, with insertion of an indwelling tube to facilitate passage of air or evacuation of secretions

UD

Unit dose

Veins

Vessels carrying blood back to the heart from the organs and tissues

Vital capacity

Volume of gas measured on a slow, complete exhalation (without forced or rapid effort) after a maximum inhalation. It measures the maximum amount of air that can be inhaled and exhaled