Pulmonology Practice Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes for pulmonology, specifically covering pneumonia, bronchiectasis, and cystic fibrosis.

Pneumonia

An infection of the alveoli of the lung that can be caused by nearly any class of organism.

Lower respiratory tract infection

The most common infectious cause of death in the world and the $3^{\text{rd}}$ most common cause of death overall, resulting in almost $3.5$ million deaths yearly.

Nosocomial Pneumonia

A classification of pneumonia describing an infection acquired within a hospital setting.

Microaspiration

The process by which microbes and particulate material from the upper airways enter the lower respiratory tract.

Empyema

A potential complication of pneumonia characterized by the collection of pus in the pleural cavity.

CURB-65

A tool used in the management of pneumonia to assess outcome and severity.

Bronchiectasis

Abnormal and permanent distortion of one or more of the conducting bronchi or airways.

Cylindrical (Tubular) Bronchiectasis

A type of bronchiectasis characterized by uniform, parallel distortion of the bronchi.

Saccular Bronchiectasis

A severe form of bronchiectasis where the bronchi are dilated into large, blind-ending sacs.

Varicoid Bronchiectasis

A type of bronchiectasis where the airways are dilated and constricted in an irregular fashion.

Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA)

A fungal-related etiology for the development of acquired bronchiectasis.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF)

The most common life-limiting autosomal recessive trait among Caucasians, presenting as an inherited monogenic multisystem disease.

DF508

The most common mutation in Cystic Fibrosis, occurring in $70 \times 10^{-2}$ of CF chromosomes, featuring a $3$ base pair deletion leading to the absence of phenylalanine at position $508$ of the CFTR.

CFTR

Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator; a protein that functions as a chloride channel.

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency

A condition found in $>90 \times 10^{-2}$ of Cystic Fibrosis patients that leads to protein and fat malabsorption.

Fat-Soluble Vitamin Malabsorption

A consequence of pancreatic insufficiency in CF patients involving vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Pathophysiology of CF Lung Disease

A high rate of sodium absorption and low rate of chloride secretion that reduces salt and water content in mucus, leading to decreased mucus clearing.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

A common pathogen that colonizes the respiratory tract of CF patients following initial infections with H. influenzae and S. aureus.