Respiratory Infections Quiz

Acute Bronchitis

• Inflammation of mucous membranes caused by Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumonia, Mycoplasma pneumonia, and Aspergillus.
• Symptoms include fever, chills, malaise, headache, dry cough, and mucopurulent sputum.
• Treatment includes bed rest, antipyretics, expectorants, antitussives, increased fluids, and antibiotics.

Pneumonia

• Inflammation of the bronchioles and alveoli.
• Can be categorized as radiation, chemical, aspiration, bronchopneumonia, lobar pneumonia, CAP (community-acquired pneumonia), and HAP (hospital-acquired pneumonia).
• Symptoms include fever, chills, productive cough, chest discomfort, malaise, and rust-colored sputum.
• Treatment includes antibiotic therapy, hydration, oxygen, bed rest, chest physiotherapy, postural drainage, bronchodilators, analgesics, antipyretics, and cough expectorants or suppressants.

Pleurisy

• Inflammation of the parietal and visceral pleurae.
• Symptoms include shallow respirations, excruciating pain, dry cough, fatigue, dyspnea, and friction rub.
• Treatment includes analgesics, antipyretics and NSAIDs.

Pleural Effusion

• Abnormal collection of fluid between the visceral and parietal pleurae.
• Causes: pneumonia, lung cancer, tuberculosis, pulmonary embolism, and congestive heart failure.
• Symptoms include fever, pain, dyspnea, and friction rub.
• Diagnosed through chest x-ray, CT scan, and thoracentesis.
• Treatment includes antibiotics, analgesics, cardiotonic drugs, and chest tube insertion.

Lung Abscess/Empyema

• Localized pus formation in the lung.
• Causes: aspiration, bacterial pneumonia, or mechanical obstruction.
• Symptoms include chills, fever, weight loss, chest pain, productive cough, purulent and blood-streaked sputum, finger clubbing.
• Treatment includes postural drainage, antibiotics, and surgery such as thoracentesis and thoracotomy.

Influenza

• Acute respiratory disease.
• Major strains include A, B, and C.
• Symptoms include severe headache, muscle aches, anorexia, sore throat, laryngitis, nasal discharge, and dry cough.
• Prevention: flu vaccination.

Pulmonary Tuberculosis

• Bacterial infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• Initial symptoms include fatigue, anorexia, weight loss, and a slight nonproductive cough.
• Later symptoms include night sweats, productive cough with mucopurulent and blood-streaked sputum, weakness, wasting, hemoptysis, and dyspnea.
• Diagnosed through Mantoux tuberculin skin test, chest x-ray, CT scan, and MRI.
• Treatment includes medication therapy with isoniazid (INH), and segmental resection.

Bronchiectasis

• Chronic infection and irreversible dilation of the bronchi and bronchioles.
• Symptoms include chronic cough, expectoration of purulent drainage, fatigue, weight loss, anorexia, and dyspnea.
• Treatment includes antibiotics, bronchodilators, mucolytics, and humidification.

Atelectasis

• Collapse of the alveoli.
• Causes include aspiration, mucous plug, fluid or air tumors, enlarged heart, aneurysm, and prolonged bed rest.
• Symptoms include cyanosis, fever, pain, dyspnea, increased pulse and respiratory rates, and increased secretions.
• Diagnosed through chest x-ray, ABG, and pulse oximetry.
• Treatment includes improving ventilation, suctioning, deep breathing, coughing, bronchodilators, and humidification.

Chronic Bronchitis

• Hypersecretion of mucus and recurrent or chronic respiratory tract infections.
• Causes include bronchial asthma, influenza or pneumonia, air pollution, and smoking.
• Symptoms include chronic cough with thick, white mucus, and bronchospasm in the early stages.
• Treatment includes preventing recurrent irritation, removing secretions, smoking cessation, bronchodilators, increased fluids, postural drainage, and steroid therapy.

Emphysema

• Alveoli lose elasticity, trapping expired air.
• Characterized by fibrous scarring and bullae formation which may lead to pneumothorax.
• Symptoms include exertional dyspnea, breathlessness at rest, chronic productive cough, pursed-lip breathing, difficulty with exhalation, carbon dioxide narcosis, use of accessory muscles, and barrel-chested appearance.
• Diagnosed through chest x-ray, fluoroscopy, CT, pulmonary function studies, and ABGs.
• Treatment includes bronchodilators, aerosol therapy, oxygen therapy, antibiotics, and physical therapy.

Asthma

• Inflammation and bronchoconstriction of the airway, along with airway hypersensitivity.
• Types include allergic and nonallergic.
• Triggers include allergens and irritants, infections, exercise, weather changes, emotions, and medication sensitivity.
• Symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, production of thick sputum, and prolonged expiration.
• Diagnosed through chest auscultation and pulmonary function studies.
• Treatment includes avoiding allergens, antihistamines, desensitization, pharmacologic treatment, and nutrition management.

Cystic Fibrosis

• Faulty transport of sodium and chloride resulting in the production of abnormally thick, sticky mucus.
• Caused by an inherited defective autosomal recessive gene.
• Symptoms include frequent respiratory infections, cough, purulent sputum, thick mucus, finger clubbing, hemoptysis, failure to thrive, greasy stools, and salty-tasting skin.
• Treatment includes bronchodilators, respiratory treatments, diet management, pancreatic enzymes, and lung transplant.

Pulmonary Hypertension

• Resistance to blood flow in the pulmonary circulation causes pulmonary arterial hypertension.
• Symptoms include dyspnea, weakness, chest pain, fatigue, jugular venous distention, orthopnea, and peripheral edema.
• Treatment includes vasodilators, anticoagulants, and management of underlying cardiac or respiratory diseases.

Pulmonary Embolism

• Obstruction of pulmonary arteries or branches by a blood clot.
• Caused by Virchow's triad.
• Symptoms include immediate onset of pain, tachycardia, and dyspnea, fever, cough, blood-streaked sputum, cyanosis, irregular heart rate, and wheezing.
• Treatment includes IV heparin, IV thrombolytic drugs, and embolectomy.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

• Acute lung injury.
• Causes: aspiration, near drowning, vomiting, drug ingestion or overdose, hematologic disorders, smoke inhalation, lung infection, and trauma.
• Symptoms include increased respiratory rate, shallow labored respirations, cyanosis, use of accessory muscles, anxiety, and mental confusion.
• Treatment includes humidified oxygen, mechanical ventilation, and artificial airway.

Respiratory Failure

• Inability to exchange sufficient amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide for the body's needs.
• Causes include acute or chronic conditions such as COPD and neuromuscular disorders.
• Symptoms include apprehension, restlessness, wheezing, cyanosis, dyspnea, hypoxemia, and hypercapnia.
• Treatment includes maintaining a patent airway, humidified oxygen, and mechanical ventilation.

Lung Cancer

• Prolonged exposure to carcinogens such as cigarette smoking leads to lung cancer.
• Symptoms include cough with mucopurulent or blood-streaked sputum, anorexia, weight loss, dyspnea, and chest pain.
• Diagnosed through chest x-ray, CT, PET scan, MRI, and bronchoscopy.
• Treatment includes chemotherapy, radiation, and lobectomy.

Fractured Ribs

• Caused by trauma, may lead to flail chest.
• Symptoms include severe pain during inspiration and expiration, and respiratory acidosis.
• Treatment includes elastic bandage, rib belt, and analgesics.

Penetrating Wounds

• Can cause pneumothorax, hemothorax, subcutaneous emphysema, hemorrhage, lung contusion, and damage to surrounding tissues.
• Treatment includes airway management and emergency care.

Blast Injuries

• Compression of the chest by an explosion can seriously damage the lungs by rupturing the alveoli.
• Symptoms include subcutaneous emphysema and crepitation.
• Treatment includes complete bed rest, oxygen, and possibly surgery and chest tube insertion.

Thoracotomy

• Performed to remove fluid, blood, or air, remove tumors, perform lung removal, repair structures, repair trauma, and perform biopsies.
• Preoperative care includes lung assessment and a patient's history.
• Postoperative care includes chest tube management.