Medical Terms in Respiratory System

• Respiratory system:

  -network of organs and tissues that help you breathe

  -it includes your airways, lungs, and blood vessels
• Respiration:

  -process of breathing in and breathing out
• Inhalation:

  -process of breathing in
• Inspiration:

  -process of breathing in
• Exhalation:

  -process of breathing out
• Expiration:

  -process of breathing out
• Anosmia:

  -Condition characterized by the absence of the sense of smell
• Epistaxis:

  • Term for nasal hemorrhage or nosebleed
• Pharyngitis:

  • Inflammation of the pharynx or sore throat
• Rhinitis:

  • Inflammation that causes a reaction leading to a stuffy nose, runny nose, sneezing, and itching
• Sinusitis:

  • Inflammation of the tissues in the sinuses, causing facial pain, a stuffy or runny nose, and sometimes fever; can be caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and allergies
• Tonsillitis:

  • Infection of the tonsils, two masses of tissue at the back of the throat
• Upper Respiratory Infection (URI):

  • Affects the upper part of the respiratory system, including sinuses and throat; symptoms include a runny nose, sore throat, and cough from post-nasal drip; also known as a common cold
• Laryngitis:

  • Term breakdown: laryng/o
  • Description: inflammation of the larynx
  • Typical symptoms include hoarseness and loss of voice
• Stridor:

  • An abnormal high-pitched sound made when inhaling or exhaling
  • This sound occurs with a blockage in the throat (pharynx), voice box (larynx), or windpipe (trachea)
• asthma:

  • A condition in which airways narrow and swell, may produce extra mucus
  • Symptoms include difficulty breathing, coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath
• bronchiectasis:

  • Chronic condition with thickened bronchi walls from inflammation and infection
  • Periodic flare-ups of breathing difficulties called exacerbations
• bronchitis:

  • Inflammation of bronchial tube lining
  • Symptoms include coughing up thickened mucus, possible discoloration
  • Can be acute or chronic
• Atelectasis:

  • When airways or tiny sacs at the end of them don't expand properly when breathing
  • Also known as a collapsed lung
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD):

  • Represents persistent, long-term respiratory diseases like chronic bronchitis and emphysema
  • Type of lower respiratory tract infection
• Cystic fibrosis (CF):

  • Progressive genetic disease affecting lungs, pancreas, and other organs
  • Over time, breathing becomes harder and risk of lung infections increases
• Emphysema:

  • Pathologic accumulation of air in tissues or organs
  • Gradual damage of lung tissue, specifically destruction of alveoli
  • Damage causes air sacs to rupture, creating one big air pocket
  • Reduction in lung surface area traps air, prevents oxygen from moving through bloodstream
  • Breathing becomes increasingly difficult, characterized by a persistent cough
• Empyema:

  • Collection of pus in the pleural cavity surrounding each lung
• Hypercapnia:

  • Excess carbon dioxide in the blood
• Influenza:

  • Contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses
  • Symptoms include sore throat, fever, cough, and body aches
  • Can cause mild to severe illness, and at times lead to death
• Lower respiratory infection:

  • Affects airways and lungs, lasting longer and more serious than upper respiratory infections
• Pneumoconiosis:

  • Lung diseases caused by inhaling certain dusts
  • Also known as occupational pneumonia
• Pneumonia:

  • Lower respiratory infection affecting one or both lungs
  • Causes air sacs or alveoli to fill up with fluid or pus
  • Bacteria, viruses, or fungi may cause pneumonia
• Pulmonary embolism:

  • Blockage of pulmonary arteries in the lung
  • Can cause low blood oxygen levels, leading to lung tissue damage and damage to other organs
• Pulmonary edema:

  • Too much fluid in the lungs, different from pneumonia as it comes from other causes like heart conditions
• Tuberculosis (TB):

  • Infectious disease caused by tubercles on the lungs
  • Symptoms include coughing, slow fever, and tiredness
  • Can also affect the urinary and skeletal system
• Hemothorax:

  • Blood collects in the chest
  • Usually caused by injury
• Pleural effusion:

  • Excessive accumulation of fluid in the pleural space
  • Effusion means escaping fluid
• Pleurisy:

  • Inflammation of the layers covering the lungs (pleura)
  • Common symptom is sharp chest pain when breathing deeply
• Pneumothorax:

  • A type of collapsed lung
  • Air leaks into the pleural cavity, the space between the lungs and ribcage
  • Excess air in the pleural cavity, often occurs with a hemothorax
  • Different from atelectasis caused by a blockage of air passages
• Anoxia:

  • Condition of lacking oxygen
  • A total lack of oxygen
• Apnea:

  • Temporary cessation of breathing, especially during sleep
  • Breathing stops temporarily
• Asphyxia:

  • Not enough oxygen in the body
  • Causes include allergic reactions, drowning, and foreign objects blocking the airway
  • Symptoms include trouble breathing, loss of consciousness, and inability to speak
  • Prevention includes being cautious
  • Treatment includes CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, and medications
• Bradypnea:

  • Slow breathing
• Cyanosis:

  • A bluish discoloration of the skin from poor circulation or inadequate oxygenation of the blood