Respiratory Emergencies
Asthma
Acute spasms of the broncioles associated with excessive mucus production with swelling of the mucus lining of the respiratory passages.
Signs and Symptoms-Wheezing on inspiration/expiration. Bronchospasms.
Treatment-albuterol inhalor or nebulizer
Anaphylaxis
Severe allergic reaction characterized by airway swelling and dilation of blood vessels all over the body.
Signs and symptoms include flush skin, generalized edema, decreased blood pressure, wheezing or stridor
Treatment- Epipen
Bronchiolitis
Inflammation of the bronchioles that usually occurs in children younger than 2 years and is often cause by the respiratory syncytial virus.
Shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, fever, dehydration tachypnea, tachycardia
Croup
Caused by inflammation and swelling of the pharynx, larynx and trachea.
fever, barking cough, stridor, mostly seen in pediatric patient.
Dipheria
An infectious disease in which a pseudo membrane forms lining the pharynx.
Difficulty breathing and swalling, sore throat, thick, gray build up in throat or nose, fever.
Emphysema
A disease of the lungs in which there is extreme dilation and eventual destruction of the pulmonary alveoli with poor oxygen and carbon dioxide: it is one form of copd.
barrel chest, pursed lip breathing, dyspnea on exertion, cyanosis, wheezing/decreased breath sounds, mostly seen in older patients.
Epiglottitis
A bacterial infection in which the epiglottis becomes inflamed and enlarged and may cause upper airway obstruction.
Dyspnea, high fever, stridor, drooling, difficulty swallowing, severe sore throat, tripod or sniffing position, seen mostly in pediatric patients
Influenza A
Virus that has crossed the animal/human barrier and has infected humans, recently reaching a pandemic level with h1n1 strain.
cough, fever, sore throat, fatigue
Pertussis
coughing spells, whooping sounds, fever
An airborne bacteria infection that affects mostly children younger than 6 years old. highly contagious droplet infection.
Humidified oxygen
Pneumonia
Dyspnea, chills, fever, cough, green,red, rust colored sputum
An infectious disease of the lung that damages lung tissue.
Pneumothorax
Sudden Chest pain with dyspnea, decreased breath sounds
An accumulation of air or gas in the pleural cavity.
Pulmonary Embolus
Dyspnea, ocassionally will have sharp chest pain, sudden onset, tachycardia.
A blood clot that breaks off from a large vein and travels to the blood vessels of the lung, causing obstruction of blood flow.
treatment- CPAP, Oxygen
Tension Pneumothorax
Severe shortness of breath, diminished lung sounds on one side, decreased/altered level of consciousness, Neck vein distention, tracheal deviation, hypotension; signs of shock.
Respiratory syncytial virus
A virus that causes an infection of the lung and breathing passages. can lead to other serious illnesses, that affect the lungs or the heart, such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia. RSV is highly contagious and spread through droplets.
Humidified Oxygen
Tuberculosis
Cough, fever, fatigue, productive/bloody septum
A contagious disease that attack the lungs and that can remain dormant in a persons lungs for decades, then reactivate. Many strains are resistant to antibiotics. TB is spread by cough.