ALPHA
Asthma
Reversible intermittent narrowing of conducting airways Changes: Thicker wall due to inflammation & tissue hyperplasia Narrower l…
Continue readingCOPD, bronchitis, emphysema
Bronchitis Inflammation of the bronchials - chronic form is part of COPD Acute form usually caused by virus in children (Haemophilus influenz…
Continue readingBronchiectasis
Permanent dilation of bronchi and bronchioles due to wall damage secondary to chronic necrotising infection Usually triggered by obstruction (t…
Continue readingIdiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Progressive patchy scarring especially lower zones that is fatal Repeated epithelial injury $\rightarrow$ inflammation and fibrosis Dry cough …
Continue readingPneumoconiosis
Lung damage secondary to particle inhalation: coal dust, silica, asbestos Occupational exposure Particles ingested by macrophages, trigger fib…
Continue readingSarcoidosis
Multisystem granulomatous disease that most commonly involves lymph nodes and lungs 20-60 most common, all ages & genders globally more in s…
Continue readingHypersensitivity Pneumonitis
Inflammatory and fibrotic bronchiolar response to inhaled antigens that are not removed Chronic inflammation around bronchioles sometimes with i…
Continue readingCystic Fibrosis
Abnormally thickened mucous due to chloride channel deletion of a phenylalanine residue - all tubes/mucous places have issues Dehydrated mucus t…
Continue readingLung Tumours
Primary Lung Tumours 90% are carcinomas Non-small cell carcinoma 85% squamous cell carcinoma 20% adenocarcinoma 30% large cell ca…
Continue readingPleural Effusion
Transudate tame - fluids leak from intact vessels so low protein Exudates extreme - from pathological capillaries so high protein …
Continue readingPneumothorax
Closed Not exposed to outside world Usually not traumatic Lung air is drawn into pleural cavity during inspiration, reducing potential lung…
Continue readingPleural fibrosis
Usually secondary to pleural inflammation/ asbestos associated Parietal low level asbestos dust exposure asymptomatic may be visible on …
Continue readingPleural neoplasms
Primary - benign rare, malignant mesothelioma common, others uncommon Secondary malignant - breast, lung, others common Malignant mesotheli…
Continue readingPneumonia
Two anatomical patterns: bronchopneumonia following bronchi and lobar pneumonia 90% S. pneumoniae Bacterial Usually rapid onset Productive…
Continue readingMycobacterium Tuberculosis
Can become dormant or disseminate depending on host immune system Risk at extremes of ages + immunocompromised 90% of primary infections asymp…
Continue readingPertussis
Highly communicable acute resp infection caused by B. pertussis Whooping cough - vaccine available Catarrheal phase - cold like Paroxy…
Continue readingPertussis
Highly communicable acute resp infection caused by B. pertussis Whooping cough - vaccine available Catarrheal phase - cold like Paroxy…
Continue readingAlpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency
Inherited abnormal anti-protease which cannot be exported from hepatocyte Accumulates in liver cells and damages them - cirrhosis Insufficien…
Continue readingAsthma exacerbation classification
Moderate Increasing asthma symptoms PEFR >50-70% of best or predicted Severe …
Continue readingSickle Cell Crisis
The main aspects of managing sickle cell crisis are giving oxygen, analgesia e.g. opiates, and IV fluids.. Oxygen helps to counteract the defici…
Continue readingLegionella antigen
If someone comes in with fever + cough urine is usually tested to check for legionella Easy to rule it out
Continue readingBleomycin
Chemotherapy agent for HL and testicular cancer After treatment be very careful about giving supplemental high flow oxygen - do not give nebs&nb…
Continue readingAsthma Exacerbation Management
Oxygen Salbutamol Hydrocortisone Ipratropium Theophylline Magnesium sulphate Escalate care
Continue readingInfective COPD exacerbation
Infective exacerbation of COPD - the most common organism causing this is Haemophilus influenzae.
Continue readingParaneoplastic Syndromes
Lung Hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy (HPOA), which is the combination of clubbing and periostitis of the small hand joints. As seen i…
Continue readingMeigs syndrome
A triad of a benign ovarian tumour (usually a fibroma) pleural effusion ascites
Continue readingAsthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome
Asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS) is diagnosed when you have symptoms of both asthma and COPD. The sum of both components if often worse than expec…
Continue readingLung abscess
Subacute productive cough, foul-smelling sputum, night sweats → ?lung abscess
Continue readingSalbutamol
Drug Class β2 agonist Mechanism Stimulates β2 receptors in the airways generating cAMP …
Continue readingIpratropium Bromide
Drug Class Anticholinergic Mechanism Blocks ACh - inhibit parasympathetic pathway which is responsible for smoot…
Continue readingOxygen
Drug Class Therapeutic gas Mechanism Specifically binds to Hb and dissolves in plasma Typical Dose Ox…
Continue readingFEV1:FVC ratio
FEV1 - volume of air forcefully expired in 1 second - calibre of vessels FVC - volume of air to completely expel lung - total lung capacity &nb…
Continue readingCOPD Classification
Grade 1: Breathless with strenuous exercise. Grade 2: Short of breath when hurrying or when walking up hill. Grade 3: Walks slower than people …
Continue reading