Acute Airway Obstruction
This common cause of acute airway obstruction in adults is often due to aspiration of food.
What is a foreign body airway obstruction?
This chronic inflammatory disease of the airways causes reversible bronchospasm, often triggered by allergens or exercise.
What is asthma?
This is the medical term for a collapsed lung.
What is a pneumothorax?
This type of respiratory failure is characterized by hypoxemia without hypercapnia.
What is Type I (hypoxemic) respiratory failure?
This common viral infection in infants and young children causes inflammation of the small airways, leading to wheezing and increased work of breathing.
What is bronchiolitis?
Stridor on inspiration is a hallmark sign of this type of airway obstruction.
What is upper airway obstruction?
This progressive lung disease, often linked to smoking, causes irreversible airflow limitation and includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
What is COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)?
Absent breath sounds on one side, tracheal deviation, and hypotension are classic signs of this life-threatening lung pathology.
What is a tension pneumothorax?
Elevated PaCO2 and a low pH indicate this type of respiratory failure.
What is Type II (hypercapnic) respiratory failure?
A barking, seal-like cough is characteristic of this pediatric respiratory emergency.
What is croup (laryngotracheobronchitis)?
This life-threatening allergic reaction can cause rapid swelling of the airway, leading to obstruction.
What is anaphylaxis?
A sudden onset of dyspnea, pleuritic chest pain, and hemoptysis in a high-risk patient should raise suspicion for this condition.
What is a pulmonary embolism?
An infection of the lung parenchyma, often leading to cough, fever, and consolidation on chest X-ray.
What is pneumonia?
This condition, often seen in severe sepsis or trauma, leads to widespread inflammation in the lungs causing severe hypoxemia refractory to oxygen.
What is ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome)?
The "thumb sign" on a lateral neck X-ray is indicative of this life-threatening pediatric condition.
What is epiglottitis?
A patient presenting with a hot potato voice, drooling, and sitting in the tripod position likely has this urgent airway issue.
What is epiglottitis?
Crackles (rales) heard on auscultation, particularly at the lung bases, along with orthopnea and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, are classic signs of this cardiac-related respiratory problem.
What is congestive heart failure (pulmonary edema)?
This condition occurs when fluid accumulates in the space between the lung and the chest wall
What is a pleural effusion?
A GCS of 8 or less in a patient with respiratory distress often indicates the need for this urgent airway intervention.
What is endotracheal intubation?
Respiratory distress in an infant, often preceded by a viral illness, characterized by expiratory wheezing and prolonged expiratory phase.
What is an asthma exacerbation or bronchiolitis?
Performing this maneuver is the recommended initial action for a conscious adult with a complete foreign body airway obstruction.
What are abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver)?
Hyperventilation syndrome can lead to this acid-base disturbance.
What is respiratory alkalosis?
A patient with sudden onset of severe, sharp pleuritic chest pain that worsens with inhalation, often associated with a viral illness, may have this inflammatory condition of the pleura.
What is pleurisy (pleuritis)?
The "tripod position" in a spontaneously breathing patient often indicates the use of these muscles to assist breathing.
What are accessory muscles of respiration?
This congenital condition causes thick, sticky mucus to block airways, leading to recurrent lung infections and respiratory failure.
What is cystic fibrosis?