MS week 3&4

• The upper respiratory system consists of the nose, pharynx, and larynx

  
• The nose is the first part of the respiratory system that air passes through
• The pharynx is a muscular tube that connects the nose and mouth to the larynx
• The larynx, also known as the voice box, is a cartilaginous structure that houses the vocal cords
• The lower respiratory system includes the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, thoracic cage, and diaphragm

  
• Alveoli are small, thin-walled sacs in the lungs where gas exchange takes place

  
• Capillaries lined within the alveoli carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart
• The blood in the capillaries releases carbon dioxide into the air we breathe out
• Gas exchange in the alveoli is essential for life, allowing our bodies to get oxygen and rid of carbon dioxide
• A bronchoscopy is a procedure that allows a doctor to look inside the airways of the lungs using a bronchoscope

  
• During a bronchoscopy, a doctor can look for problems like bleeding, inflammation, or tumors
• Airway obstruction can be anatomical or mechanical, requiring urgent attention and assistance
• Anatomical airway obstruction occurs when the airway is blocked by the tongue or swollen tissues of the mouth and throat
• Mechanical airway obstruction happens when the airway is partially or completely blocked by a foreign object
• Diagnosis of airway obstruction can involve X-ray or bronchoscopy
• Management of airway obstruction includes the Heimlich maneuver and CPR if the patient becomes unconscious
• Asthma is a condition where airways narrow and swell, making breathing difficult and triggering symptoms like coughing and wheezing
• Causes of asthma include allergens, sinusitis, emotional responses, medications, and environmental factors
• Diagnosis of asthma can involve a peak flow meter to measure lung function
• Treatment of asthma includes inhaled medications like short-acting beta-2-agonists and steroids
• COPD is a chronic inflammatory lung disease caused by long-term exposure to irritating gases or particulate matter, often from cigarette smoke
• COPD can lead to complications like hypoxemia, respiratory infections, cardiac dysrhythmias, and cor pulmonale
• Management of COPD includes quitting smoking, lung therapies, and managing exacerbations promptly
• Bronchiectasis is the abnormal and permanent dilatation of bronchi and bronchioles, often resulting from chronic pulmonary infections or non-infective causes
• Alveoli are lined with capillaries, tiny blood vessels
• Oxygen in the air we breathe passes through the walls of the alveoli and into the capillaries
• Capillaries carry the oxygen-rich blood to the heart, which pumps it to the rest of the body
• At the same time, blood in the capillaries releases carbon dioxide into the air we breathe out
• Bronchoscopy helps identify problems like bleeding, inflammation, or tumors in the airways
• Bronchiectasis management includes drainage of purulent material from the bronchi, postural drainage, chest physiotherapy, antibiotics, mucolytics, and bronchodilators
• Lung resections like lobectomy, pneumonectomy, segmentectomy, and wedge resection are treatments for bronchiectasis, bronchogenic carcinoma, emphysematous blebs, and lung abscesses
• Pneumonia is an inflammatory process affecting the bronchioles and alveoli
• Pneumonia can be bacterial "typical" or atypical, caused by various microorganisms
• Pneumonia can also result from radiation therapy, chemical ingestion, aspiration of foreign bodies, or gastric contents
• Pneumonia categories include CAP, HAP, opportunistic pneumonia, and aspiration pneumonia
• Pneumonia presents with symptoms like chest pain, cough, fever, fatigue, and shortness of breath
• Diagnostic tests for pneumonia include chest x-ray, sputum culture, blood culture, and increased WBC in CBC
• Nursing and medical management of pneumonia involve monitoring respiratory status, administering antibiotics, hydration, oxygen therapy, and managing symptoms
• Pleural effusion is an abnormal collection of fluid between the visceral and parietal pleurae, managed with antibiotics, analgesics, and cardiotonic drugs
• Thoracentesis and chest tube thoracostomy are surgical interventions for pleural effusion