From Canvas (Disease Vocabulary) - Unit 8: The Respiratory System

Apnea

Temporary cessation of breathing, literally translating to "without breathing."

Bradypnea

Abnormally slow breathing, evidenced by a respiratory rate slower than 12 respirations per minute.

Tachypnea

An abnormal rapidity of breathing.

Dyspnea

Air hunger resulting in labored or difficult breathing, which is sometimes accompanied by pain.

Orthopnea

A respiratory condition in which there is discomfort in breathing in any position except an erect, sitting up straight, or standing position.

Cyanosis

A slightly bluish, grayish, slatelike, or dark purple discoloration of the skin due to the presence of abnormal amounts of reduced hemoglobin in the blood.

Dysphonia

Difficulty in speaking, commonly resulting in hoarseness.

Epistaxis

A hemorrhage from the nose, commonly known as a nosebleed.

Expectoration

The act of spitting out saliva or coughing up materials from the air passageways leading to the lungs.

Hemoptysis

The expectoration of blood arising from the oral cavity, larynx, trachea, bronchi, or lungs.

Hypercapnia

An increased and excessive amount of carbon dioxide in the blood, which can be fatal and is associated with conditions such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Hypoxemia

An insufficient oxygenation or insufficient amount of oxygen in the blood, which can be caused by conditions like COPD, emphysema, anemia, and others.

Hypoxia

A deficiency of oxygen at the tissue level.

Kussmaul Respirations

A very deep, gasping type of respiration associated with severe diabetic acidosis.

Cough

A forceful and sometimes violent expiratory effort preceded by a preliminary inspiration, where the glottis is partially closed, accessory muscles of expiration are brought into action, and air is noisily expelled due to airway irritation or infection from irritants like dust, smoke, or mucus.

Nonproductive Cough

An unproductive "dry cough" that is not effective in bringing up sputum.

Productive Cough

An effective "wet cough" that is successful in bringing up sputum.

Sneeze

To expel air forcibly through the nose and mouth by spasmodic contraction of the muscles of expiration due to irritation of the nasal mucosa.

Stridor

A harsh, high-pitched respiratory sound resembling the blowing of wind, caused by an obstruction of the air passages.

Wheeze

A whistling or sighing sound resulting from the narrowing of the lumen of a respiratory passageway.

Pleural Rub

A friction rub sound caused by inflammation of the pleural space.

Rales

An abnormal sound heard on auscultation of the chest, produced by the passage of air through bronchi that contain secretion or exudate, or that are constricted by spasm or a thickening of their walls.

Rhonchi

Rales or rattlings in the throat, especially when the sound resembles snoring.

Exudate

Fluid, pus, or liquid that oozes, weeps, or sweats out of blood vessels due to inflammation and is deposited in nearby tissues; its composition varies but generally includes water and dissolved solutes of the main circulatory fluid like sap or blood.

Coryza

Inflammation of the respiratory mucous membranes, commonly known as the common cold, which usually refers to symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection.

Rhinitis

Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose, usually resulting in obstruction of the nasal passages, rhinorrhea (a thin, watery discharge from the nose), sneezing, and facial pressure or pain.

Sinusitis

Inflammation of a sinus, especially a paranasal sinus, which usually results in pain and a feeling of pressure in the affected sinuses.

Pharyngitis

Inflammation of the pharynx, usually caused by a virus and resulting in a sore throat.

Tonsillitis

Inflammation of the palatine tonsils, causing them to appear enlarged and red with a yellowish exudate; symptoms include sore throat, fever, snoring, and difficulty swallowing.

Laryngitis

Inflammation of the larynx usually resulting in hoarseness, cough, and difficulty swallowing, caused by voice abuse, an upper respiratory tract infection, chronic bronchitis, or chronic sinusitis.

Croup

A childhood disease characterized by a barking cough, suffocative and difficult breathing, stridor, and laryngeal spasm.

Diphtheria

A serious infectious disease affecting the nose, pharynx, or larynx that usually results in a sore throat, dysphonia, and fever; it is caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which forms a white coating over the affected airways as it multiplies.

Pertussis

An acute upper respiratory infectious disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, also known as "whooping cough."

Asthma

Paroxysmal dyspnea accompanied by wheezing caused by a spasm of the bronchial tubes or by swelling of their mucous membrane, occurring most frequently in childhood or early adulthood.

Bronchiectasis

The chronic dilatation of a bronchus or bronchi, accompanied by a secondary infection that usually involves the lower portion of the lung.

Bronchitis

Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bronchial tubes, often preceded by the common cold, causing a patient to experience a productive cough, wheezing, dyspnea, and chest pain.

Acute Bronchitis

A form of bronchitis caused by viral infections, bacterial infections, or airborne irritants.

Chronic Bronchitis

A form of bronchitis primarily associated with cigarette smoking or pollution exposure, where smoke irritates airways to cause inflammation and mucus hypersecretion, resulting in a productive cough present for at least three months of two consecutive years.

Bronchogenic Carcinoma

A malignant lung tumor that originates in the bronchi, commonly known as lung cancer.

Cystic Fibrosis

A life-threatening, genetic disorder passed down through families caused by a defective gene, making it one of the most common chronic lung diseases in children and young adults by causing thick, sticky mucus to build up in the lungs, digestive tract, and other areas.

Emphysema

A chronic pulmonary disease characterized by an increase beyond normal in the size of air spaces distal to the terminal bronchiole, arising either from the dilation of the alveoli or from the destruction of their walls.

Empyema

An accumulation of pus in a body cavity, especially in the pleural cavity, which is usually the result of a primary infection in the lungs.

Hyaline Membrane Disease

A condition causing severe impairment of respiration in a premature newborn, also known as respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).

Influenza

A highly contagious viral infection of the respiratory tract transmitted by airborne droplet infection, also known as the flu, with symptoms including sore throat, cough, fever, muscular pains, and generalized weakness.

Pleural Effusion

The accumulation of fluid in the pleural space, usually secondary to some other disease, resulting in the compression of the underlying portion of the lung and resultant dyspnea.

Pleuritis (Pleurisy)

Inflammation of both the visceral and parietal pleura.

Pneumonia

Inflammation of the lungs caused primarily by bacteria, viruses, and chemical irritants; bacteria are the most common cause in adults, with Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) being the most common and serious form, which can follow influenza in elderly or debilitated individuals.

Pneumothorax

A collection of air or gas in the pleural cavity resulting from a perforation through the chest wall or the pleura covering the lung, commonly known as a collapsed lung.

Pulmonary Edema

Swelling of the lungs caused by an abnormal accumulation of fluid either in the alveoli or interstitial spaces, often associated with underlying heart problems.

Pulmonary Heart Disease (Cor Pulmonale)

Hypertrophy of the right ventricle of the heart, occurring with or without failure, resulting from disorders of the lungs, pulmonary vessels, or chest wall.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

The unexpected and unexplained death of an apparently well, or virtually well infant, also known as crib death.

Tuberculosis

An infectious disease caused by the tubercle bacillus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, characterized by inflammatory infiltrations, the formation of tubercles, and caseous (cheeselike) necrosis in the tissues of the lungs.