Breathing Terms and Conditions Quiz

Study Notes

Dyspnea: Difficult or uncomfortable breathing, often characterized by shortness of breath, labored breathing, and a feeling of being preoccupied with breathing.
- Signs: Flaring nostrils, use of accessory muscles of respiration, and retraction.
- Can be caused by a variety of factors, initially during exertion, then at rest.
Orthopnea: Difficulty breathing when lying down, often due to increased fluid in the lungs. Relieved by being upright.
- Causes: Left ventricular heart failure or pulmonary edema.
Apnea: Temporary cessation of breathing, as seen in sleep apnea.
Bradypnea: Breathing rate less than 12 breaths per minute.
- Causes: Overuse of narcotics, brain disorders, hypothyroidism.
Tachypnea: Breathing rate greater than 20 breaths per minute, characterized by shallow breaths.
- Causes: Lung disease, obesity, and pulmonary embolism.

Eupnea: Rhythmic breathing with 8-16 breaths per minute.
- Tidal volume: 400-800 ml.
- Characteristics: Short expiratory pause and sigh breaths (10-12 per hour).
Kussmaul Respiration: Deep, rapid breathing that helps unload CO2, seen in diabetic ketoacidosis.
Cheyne-Stokes Respirations: Alternating apnea and hyperventilation while asleep, often seen in conditions that slow blood flow to the brain stem (e.g., heart failure, brainstem disease).
- Mechanism: Oxygen saturation fluctuates between 90% and 100%, with rising CO2 levels triggering periods of hyperventilation.

Hypoventilation results in increased carbon dioxide levels (hypercapnia) and decreased blood pH.
Hyperventilation (not to be confused with hyperpnea or tachypnea) results in decreased carbon dioxide levels (hypocapnia).
- Characteristics: Usually affects adults, more common in women.
- Causes: Not related to allergens, but triggered by exercise, anxiety, stress, cold air, dry air, smoke, viruses, hyperventilation, aspirin, and other factors.
- Important distinctions: It's not seasonal and not helped by allergy shots.
- Development: Often develops later in life, frequently due to repeated respiratory tract infections, and tends to be chronic.

Bronchospasm: Leads to airway obstruction and air trapping in the lungs.
Air Trapping: Flattens the diaphragm, making inspiration less effective, and restricts chest expansion.
Wheezing: Initially occurs during expiration, then during both inspiration and expiration.
Pulmonary Function Tests: Demonstrate decreased peak expiratory flow rate and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1).
Blood Gases: Initially show decreased carbon dioxide levels (hypocapnia) and respiratory alkalosis, but later develop hypercapnia and hypoxemia due to exhaustion.
- Key problem: Fatigue, as breathing requires extra effort.
Mucus: Thick and obstructive.
Cycle of Difficulty: Difficulty breathing triggers anxiety, which increases the difficulty of breathing, leading to further anxiety.