path 5

Patho study guide

• Know what COPD is and what two diseases fall under it.

• Understand why COPD causes airflow limitation and why it is not fully reversible.

• Review how smoking and other exposures contribute to the disease.

• Be able to recognize the common symptoms and risk factors that should make you suspect COPD in patients over age 40.

• Review the typical radiographic signs associated with:

o Emphysema

o Chronic bronchitis

Think about how hyperinflation and air-trapping appear on imaging.

• Review general COPD management strategies

• ABG Interpretation

• Spot the pattern of acute, chronic, and acute-on-chronic respiratory problems

Focus on how pH, CO₂, and HCO₃⁻ move together.

• Asthma Radiographic Findings

• Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Asthma

• Know the airway changes that occur during an asthma episode

• Review how bronchodilators affect lung function tests

and what level of improvement(PEFR) is considered significant.

• When eosinophils increase

• Normal eosinophil percentage

o What this means in asthma

• Genetic Causes of Emphysema

o Younger patients

o Panlobular emphysema

o Lower lobe involvement