Asthma Overview Quiz

Bronchial Asthma

• Asthma is a condition where airways narrow and swell, creating extra mucus.
• This makes breathing difficult, triggering symptoms like cough, wheeze, and shortness of breath.
• Severity varies, from minor nuisance to life-threatening attacks.
• Asthma symptoms are treatable but not curable.

Asthma Signs and Symptoms

• Shortness of breath
• Chest tightness or pain
• Wheezing, especially when exhaling
• Trouble sleeping due to breathing issues, coughing, or wheezing
• Worsening cough or wheeze triggered by respiratory viruses (like colds or flu)

Asthma Signs and Symptoms Flare-ups

• Exercise-induced asthma: Worsened by cold, dry air
• Occupational asthma: Triggered by workplace irritants (chemicals, gases, dust)
• Allergy-induced asthma: Triggered by airborne allergens (pollen, mold spores, pet dander)

Asthma Causes

• Exposure to allergens (pollen, dust mites, mold spores, pet dander, cockroach waste)
• Respiratory infections (like the common cold)
• Physical activity
• Cold air
• Air pollutants (smoke)
• Certain medications (beta blockers, aspirin, NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen)
• Strong emotions and stress
• Sulfites and preservatives in some foods and beverages (shrimp, dried fruit, processed potatoes, beer, wine)
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

Asthma Risk Factors

• Having a blood relative with asthma
• Having other allergic conditions (like atopic dermatitis, hay fever)
• Being overweight
• Being a smoker
• Exposure to secondhand smoke
• Exposure to exhaust fumes or other pollution
• Exposure to occupational triggers (chemicals in farming, hairdressing, manufacturing)

Asthma Diagnosis Tests

• Spirometry (with and without bronchodilator)
• Bronchoprovocation tests
• Peak expiratory flow (PEF) tests
• Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) tests
• Allergy skin or blood tests

Asthma Complications

• Symptoms interfering with daily activities (sleep, work)
• Permanent narrowing of bronchial tubes
• Emergency room visits/hospitalizations for severe attacks
• Side effects from long-term asthma medications

Pneumonia

• Pneumonia is lung inflammation, usually caused by infection.
• Most people recover within 2-4 weeks; however, certain groups are at higher risk of severe illness.
• Groups at higher risk: infants (0-2 years old), older adults (65+), individuals with weakened immune systems (HIV, cancer treatments, etc.), those with pre-existing heart or lung conditions, and pregnant people

Pneumonia Symptoms

• Cough (may produce greenish, yellow, or bloody mucus)
• Fever, sweating, and chills
• Shortness of breath
• Rapid, shallow breathing
• Sharp or stabbing chest pain that worsens with deep breathing or coughing
• Loss of appetite, low energy, and fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting (especially in children)
• Confusion (especially in older adults)

Types of Pneumonia

• Bacterial (pneumococcal): Most common, can be more serious, symptoms develop gradually or suddenly, high fever, profuse sweating, rapid breathing, bluish lips/nailbeds, confusion/delirium.
• Viral: Develops over several days, initial symptoms similar to influenza (fever, dry cough, headache, muscle aches), worsens with increasing cough, shortness of breath, often high fever, and sometimes bluish lips/nailbeds. Symptoms vary in different individuals and age groups.
• Fungal: Most common in people with chronic or suppressed immune systems, exposed to large doses of certain fungi from contaminated soil or bird droppings.

Pneumonia Classification

• Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP): Acquired during a hospital stay, often more serious, bacteria involved may be resistant to antibiotics
• Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP): Acquired outside a medical facility
• Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP): Acquired by people on ventilators
• Aspiration pneumonia: Inhaling bacteria (from food, drink, saliva) into the lungs, more likely if there's a swallowing problem or sedation

Walking Pneumonia

• Milder case of pneumonia, symptoms often feel like a mild respiratory infection
• Symptoms may include a mild fever, a dry cough that lasts longer than a week, chills, shortness of breath, chest pain, and reduced appetite

Pneumonia Diagnosis Tests

• Medical history (recent travel, exposures, previous illnesses)
• Physical exam (lung auscultation)
• Blood tests (confirm infection, identify the germ)
• Chest X-ray (locate and extent of inflammation in lungs)
• Pulse oximetry (measure oxygen levels in the blood)
• Sputum test (sample of mucus to identify the infection source)
• CT scan (better view of lungs, look for abscesses or complications)
• Arterial Blood Gas Test (accurately measure blood oxygen levels, more accurate than pulse oximetry)
• Pleural fluid culture (analyze fluid to identify bacteria causing the pneumonia)
• Bronchoscopy (view inside lungs' airways)

Pneumonia Risk Factors

• Infants (0-2 years old)
• Adults aged 65+
• Weakened immune systems (HIV, cancer, certain medications)
• Pregnant people
• Conditions involving impaired immune or lung function

Pneumonia Treatment

• Bacterial Pneumonia: Oral antibiotics (antibiotic medications may not work on viruses)
• Viral Pneumonia: May clear on its own with home care, antiviral medications may be prescribed in some cases.
• Fungal Pneumonia: Antifungal medications
• Significant cases/complications: Hospitalization may be necessary

Pneumonia Complications

• Worsening of pre-existing conditions (heart failure, emphysema)
• Bacteremia (bacteria spreading to bloodstream, possible low blood pressure, septic shock, and organ failure)
• Lung abscess (cavities containing pus needing drainage or surgery)
• Impaired breathing (acute respiratory distress syndrome, a medical emergency)
• Pleural effusion (fluid buildup around lungs, potentially needing draining)
• Kidney, heart, and liver damage
• Death (in severe cases)

Pneumonia Prevention

• Vaccination (influenza, pneumonia)
• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle

Pulmonary Abscess and Pulmonary Gangrene

• Pulmonary abscess: Caused by pyogenic organisms (e.g., staphylococci) reaching the lung through aspiration from the oral cavity or blood stream. More common in children, prognosis is usually good unless complicated by sepsis.
• Pulmonary gangrene: More severe, caused by a group of organisms (e.g., spirochetes, fusiform bacilli, vibrios) aspirated from the oral cavity. More common in adults.

Pulmonary Abscess Division and Causes

• Acute (less than 6 weeks):

• Chronic (more than 6 weeks):

• Primary: Aspiration of oropharyngeal secretions, necrotizing pneumonia, immunodeficiency

• Secondary: Bronchial obstructions, haematogenic dissemination, direct spreading from mediastinal infection, coexisting lung diseases

• Aspiration of oropharyngeal secretions: Dental or peridontal infections, paranasal sinusitis, swelling disorders, gastro-esophageal reflux disease, frequent vomiting, intubation, certain medical conditions (tracheostomy, recurrent paralysis, alcoholism)

• Haematogenic dissemination: Abdominal sepsis, infective endocarditis, intravenous drug abuse, infected cannula/central venous catheter, septic thromboembolisms

• Coexisting lung diseases: Bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, bullous emphysema, bronchial obstruction, congenital malformations, infected pulmonary infarcts, pulmonary contusion, broncho-oesophageal fistula

Pulmonary Abscess Signs and Symptoms

• Fever with shivering
• Cough, night sweats
• Dyspnea
• Weight loss and fatigue
• Chest pain
• Anemia

Pulmonary Abscess Therapy

• Antibiotics
• Abscess larger than 6 cm, or symptoms lasting longer than 12 weeks despite appropriate therapy, surgical therapy may be considered

Pleurisy

• Pleurisy is inflammation of the pleura (membrane lining the lungs and chest cavity)
• Characterized by sharp chest pain that worsens with breathing, can also be associated with a dry or wet pleuritis (excess fluid accumulation)

Pleurisy Causes

• Infections (bacterial, including tuberculosis, fungi, parasites, viruses)
• Inhaled chemicals/toxins
• Collagen vascular diseases (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis)
• Cancers (lung cancer spreading to pleura, mesothelioma, sarcoma)
• Congestion (heart failure)
• Pulmonary embolism
• Obstruction of lymph channels
• Trauma
• Certain medications
• Abdominal processes (pancreatitis, liver cirrhosis, gallbladder disease)
• Pneumothorax

Pleurisy Symptoms

• Pain
• Shortness of breath
• Dry cough
• Extreme weakness
• Chills and fever
• Respiratory distress (due to pleural effusion)

Types of Pleurisy

• Dry pleurisy: Limited fluid buildup, causes pleural friction rub (sounds like a raspy breath)
• Exudative pleurisy: Fluid builds up around lungs, making breathing difficult

Pleurisy Diagnosis

• Blood tests
• Chest X-ray
• CT scan
• Ultrasound
• ECG
• Thoracentesis (fluid removal for lab analysis)
• Thoracoscopy (camera inserted to look for problems or take a biopsy

Pleurisy Treatment

• Treatment focuses on the underlying cause.
• Antigibiotic for bacterial etiologies
• NSAIDs (pain/inflammation)
• Steroid medications may be used