Respiratory Terminology
This term refers to the feeling of shortness of breath that often signals a respiratory problem.
What is dyspnea?
This non-invasive device is commonly used to measure the oxygen saturation of a patient’s blood.
What is a pulse oximeter?
This chronic lung disease is characterized by the narrowing of the airways and is often triggered by allergens.
What is asthma?
This type of medication is often used as a “rescue” inhaler for quick relief during asthma attacks.
What is a short-acting beta agonist (SABA)?
This assessment technique involves listening to the breath sounds of a patient’s lungs.
What is auscultation?
A respiratory rate above 20 breaths per minute is known by this term.
What is tachypnea?
A test that measures the amount of air a patient can forcefully exhale in one second is known by this acronym.
What is FEV1?
This condition is the permanent enlargement of the air spaces beyond the terminal bronchioles, often caused by smoking.
What is emphysema?
These anti-inflammatory medications are inhaled to control chronic asthma and prevent exacerbations.
What are inhaled corticosteroids?
This is the term for the vibrations felt on the chest wall when a patient speaks, often increased in conditions like pneumonia.
What is tactile fremitus?
This term describes coughing up blood from the lungs or bronchial tubes.
What is hemoptysis?
This diagnostic test involves taking a blood sample from an artery to measure pH, PaCO2, and PaO2.
What is an arterial blood gas (ABG) test?
This respiratory condition is marked by a productive cough for at least three months in two consecutive years.
What is chronic bronchitis?
This medication is a long-acting anticholinergic used for maintenance therapy in COPD.
What is tiotropium?
During respiratory assessment, these sounds may indicate fluid in the alveoli, as seen in conditions like pneumonia.
What are crackles?
The condition where breathing is easier when sitting or standing rather than lying down.
What is orthopnea?
This procedure allows direct visualization of the airways using a scope.
What is bronchoscopy?
This acute respiratory infection is caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium.
What is tuberculosis?
This leukotriene receptor antagonist is taken orally to manage asthma and allergic rhinitis.
What is montelukast?
This breathing pattern is characterized by deep, rapid breathing often seen in metabolic acidosis.
What is Kussmaul respiration?
A slower than normal respiratory rate, often seen in cases of opioid overdose.
What is bradypnea?
This imaging technique is often the first step in diagnosing conditions like pneumonia or a pneumothorax.
What is a chest X-ray?
his life-threatening condition occurs when a blood clot blocks a pulmonary artery.
What is a pulmonary embolism?
This term describes a harsh, high-pitched sound heard primarily during inspiration and is a sign of upper airway obstruction.
What is stridor?