Pathophysiology Final Exam Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering key topics, definitions, conditions, diagnostic tools, and normal reference values for the RC 110 Pathophysiology final exam.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

Repeated upper-airway collapse during sleep despite continued respiratory effort.

Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)

Repeated loss or reduction of ventilatory drive, causing both airflow and respiratory effort to stop during sleep.

Complex / Treatment-Emergent Central Sleep Apnea

A condition where central apneas appear or persist when obstructive sleep apnea events are treated with positive airway pressure (PAP).

Polysomnography

The diagnostic gold standard sleep study that evaluates airflow, chest/abdominal respiratory effort, oxygen saturation, heart rate/ECG, sleep stages via EEG/EOG/chin EMG, body position, snoring, limb movements, arousals, AHI, and optionally $CO_2$.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome

An acute, immune-mediated polyradiculoneuropathy causing rapidly progressive, symmetric ascending weakness, reduced or absent reflexes, and potential autonomic and respiratory failure.

Albuminocytologic Dissociation

A characteristic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) finding in Guillain-Barré syndrome characterized by elevated protein levels with few cells.

Myasthenia Gravis

An autoimmune disorder of postsynaptic neuromuscular transmission—most often involving antibodies against postsynaptic acetylcholine receptors (AChR)—causing fluctuating, fatigable skeletal-muscle weakness.

Myasthenic Crisis

A life-threatening complication of myasthenia gravis characterized by severe bulbar or respiratory muscle weakness, respiratory distress, weak cough, difficulty handling secretions, or falling FVC/NIF.

Atelectasis

The collapse or closure of lung tissue caused by airway obstruction/mucus plugging (resorption), hypoventilation after anesthesia or sedation, prolonged immobility, surfactant loss, or external compression.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

Diffuse inflammatory injury to the alveolar-capillary membrane leading to increased permeability, protein-rich noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, surfactant dysfunction, alveolar collapse/consolidation, decreased compliance, and severe V/Q mismatch with intrapulmonary shunting.

Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma

The histological form of lung cancer with the poorest overall prognosis due to its rapid growth rate and early metastasis.

Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)

A clinical assessment scale used to evaluate level of consciousness and neurologic status in patients, such as near-drowning victims.

Pulmonary Edema

An abnormal accumulation of fluid in the lung interstitium and alveoli that impairs diffusion, decreases lung compliance, and causes V/Q mismatch and hypoxemia.

Cardiogenic Pulmonary Edema

Pulmonary edema caused by elevated hydrostatic pressure (typically left ventricular failure), characterized by cardiomegaly, vascular redistribution, Kerley B lines, pleural effusions, and elevated BNP/JVP.

Noncardiogenic Pulmonary Edema

Pulmonary edema caused by increased alveolar-capillary permeability (such as ARDS), presenting as bilateral infiltrates with normal heart size, fewer effusions, and a normal or low pulmonary capillary wedge pressure.

Cystic Fibrosis

A genetic condition presenting with chronic productive cough, thick tenacious sputum, recurrent bacterial lung infections, bronchiectasis, digital clubbing, steatorrhea from pancreatic insufficiency, and salty-tasting skin.

Tuberculosis (TB)

An infectious disease causing granulomatous inflammation with caseous necrosis, persistent cough ($\ngeq 3$ weeks), hemoptysis, night sweats, weight loss, and upper-lobe or apical cavitary infiltrates.

Lung Compliance

The change in lung volume produced by a change in transpulmonary pressure, defined by the formula $C = \frac{\Delta V}{\Delta P}$ and measured in $\text{mL/cm H}_2\text{O}$.

Cyanosis Threshold

The point at which cyanosis becomes clinically visible, occurring when reduced (deoxygenated) hemoglobin reaches approximately $5\,\text{g/dL}$ of capillary blood.

Shunt

A condition of perfusion without ventilation ($V/Q = 0$), as in fluid-filled or collapsed alveoli, where severe hypoxemia responds poorly to supplemental $O_2$.

Dead Space

A condition of ventilation without perfusion ($V/Q \rightarrow \infty$), as seen in pulmonary embolism, resulting in wasted ventilation and potential $PaCO_2$ elevation.

Bronchiectasis

Permanent, abnormal dilation of the bronchi caused by destruction of bronchial wall muscle and elastic tissue following chronic infection and inflammation.

Pneumothorax

The presence of air in the pleural space that partially or completely collapses the affected lung.

Tension Pneumothorax

The most serious type of pneumothorax where rising intrapleural pressure compresses the lung and great vessels, causing obstructive shock and potential cardiac arrest.

Refractory Hypoxemia

Severe hypoxemia that persists despite administration of a high inspired oxygen concentration ($FiO_2$), commonly driven by intrapulmonary shunting in ARDS.

P Wave

The waveform on an ECG that represents atrial depolarization.

PR Interval

The interval on an ECG representing conduction time from the atria through the AV node and His-Purkinje system.

QRS Complex

The waveform complex on an ECG representing ventricular depolarization.

ST Segment

The segment on an ECG representing early ventricular repolarization and the plateau phase.

T Wave

The waveform on an ECG representing ventricular repolarization.

U Wave

An ECG wave following the T wave representing late repolarization, often attributed to Purkinje or papillary muscle activity.

Asthma

An obstructive disease characterized by episodic wheezing, dyspnea, chest tightness, cough (often nocturnal or early morning), prolonged expiration, tachypnea, accessory muscle use, and reduced peak flow.

Chronic Bronchitis

A type of COPD characterized clinically by a chronic productive cough for at least $3\,\text{months}$ per year in $2$ consecutive years, copious sputum, wheezing/rhonchi, hypoxemia, hypercapnia, and risk of cor pulmonale.

Emphysema

A type of COPD characterized by progressive exertional dyspnea, minimal cough/sputum, pursed-lip breathing, diminished breath sounds, hyperresonance, barrel chest, accessory muscle use, and loss of elastic recoil.

Normal Arterial Blood Gas Reference Values

Standard clinical adult reference ranges: pH $7.35\text{--}7.45$, $PaCO_2$ $35\text{--}45\,\text{mm Hg}$, $PaO_2$ $80\text{--}100\,\text{mm Hg}$, and $HCO_3^-$ $22\text{--}26\,\text{mEq/L}$.

Normal Complete Blood Count and Electrolyte Values

Standard reference ranges: $Na^+$ $135\text{--}145\,\text{mEq/L}$, $Cl^-$ $98\text{--}106\,\text{mEq/L}$, $K^+$ $3.5\text{--}5.0\,\text{mEq/L}$, WBC $4.5\text{--}11.0 \times 10^3/\text{mcL}$, male Hgb $14\text{--}18\,\text{g/dL}$, female Hgb $12\text{--}16\,\text{g/dL}$, male Hct $42\text{--}52\%$, female Hct $37\text{--}47\%$, male RBC $4.7\text{--}6.1 \times 10^6/\text{mcL}$, female RBC $4.2\text{--}5.4 \times 10^6/\text{mcL}$, and Platelets $150\text{--}400 \times 10^3/\text{mcL}$.