Pathologic condition resulting from the accumulation of acid in, or loss of base from, the body
Acute
Sharp, severe, or rapid onset and characterized by severe
symptoms and a short course, not chronic
Air embolism
Blockage of a blood vessel by a bubble of air that has entered the bloodstream
Air trapping
The prevention of gas from leaving the alveoli during
exhalation; This is usually caused by airway closure during exhalation
Airway resistance
The pressure difference between the mouth and alveoli divided by flow rate
Albuterol sulfate
Inhalation solution that is indicated for the relief of
bronchospasm in patients two years of age and older with reversible
obstructive airway disease and acute attacks of bronchospasm
Alkalemia
Increased pH and decreased hydrogen ion concentration of the blood
Alveolus
A small, saclike structure. Often used interchangeably with acinus
Anoxia
Deficiency of oxygen
Apnea
Complete absence of spontaneous ventilation
Arrhythmia
Irregularity or loss of rhythm, especially of the heartbeat
Arterial
Pertaining to one artery or a network of arteries
Arterial sampling
The technique of obtaining a blood sample from an artery;
Common sites from which samples are obtained include the radial, brachial,
and femoral
Arteriole
A very small artery, especially one that, at its distal end,
leads into a capillary
Asphyxia
Condition caused by an insufficient uptake of oxygen
Aspiration
Pneumonia or inflammatory condition of the lungs and bronchi
caused by the inhalation of foreign material or vomitus containing acid
gastric contents
Atelectasis
Collapse of the lung; May be caused by obstruction
Auscultation
The process of listening to a patient’s chest using a
stethoscope
Barotrauma
Trauma to the thoracic structures resulting directly from
the applied positive pressure (increases intrathoracic pressure) from
mechanical ventilation
Barrel chest
An abnormal chest conformation characterized by an increase
in the anterior-posterior diameter. A barrel chest often accompanies chronic
obstructive lung disease in which there is concomitant air trapping
Bradycardia
An abnormally low heart rate
Bradypnea
An abnormally low respiratory rate
Bronchial alveolar lavge (BAL)
A technique in which the bronchoscope is wedged and normal
saline (0.9%) is instilled and retrieved for cellular analysis
Bronchiectasis
A lung disorder in which the bronchial tubes become enlarged
and distended forming pockets where infection may develop. The bronchial
walls may also be damaged which reduces in the lung’s ability to expel
foreign material.
Bronchoconstriction
Narrowing of the pulmonary air passages
Bronchodilation
Widening of pulmonary air passages
Bronchoscopy
A technique or procedure that involves visually examining
the tracheobronchial tree with an instrument called a bronchoscope for
diagnostic or therapeutic indications
Bronchospasm
Involuntary sudden movement or convulsive contraction of the
muscular coats of the bronchus
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Colorless, odorless, incombustible gas formed during
respiration and combustion
Catheter fragment embolism
Blockage of a blood vessel that occurs when a portion of an
intravenous catheter is cut or broken off and enters the bloodstream
Central venous pressure (CVP)
Pressure within the superior vena cava, which reflects the
pressure under which the blood is returned to the right atrium
Chest percussion
A technique in which the practitioner claps on the patient’s
chest wall using a cupped hand to induce vibration throughout the lung
parenchyma, facilitating bronchial secretion clearance. The technique may
also be performed with the assistance of mechanical devices
Cheyne-Stokes breathing
l0 to 30 seconds of apnea, followed by a gradual increase in
the volume and frequency of breathing, followed by a gradual decrease in the
volume of breathing until another period of apnea occurs
Chronic
Denoting a process that shows little change and slow
progression and is of long duration
Cilia
Small, hairlike projections on the surface of epithelial
cells. In the bronchi they propel mucus and foreign particles in a whiplike
movement toward the throat
Cocci
A bacterium that is round or spherical in shape
Congenital
Existing at and usually before birth; referring to
conditions that are present at birth, regardless of their cause
Congestion
Excessive amount of blood or tissue fluid in an organ or
tissue
Congestive heart failure
Myocardial insufficiency of the left ventricle that results
in pulmonary congestion
Consolidation
The process of becoming solid; a mass that has solidified
Constrict
Tighten or squeeze; making a part narrow
Continuous mechanical ventilation
The artificial support of a patient’s ventilatory needs
using a mechanical ventilator; Support may be total or partial
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
The application of continuous pressure (both inspiration and
expiration) for the spontaneously breathing patient
Cor pulmonale
Failure of the right ventricle resulting from disorders of
the lungs or pulmonary vessels
Coronary artery disease
The obstruction of the coronary arteries, that may be caused
by fatty deposits (plaque) or thrombi; Obstruction of the coronary arteries
can lead to decreased delivery of oxygen to the heart muscle, and the onset
of symptoms
Crackles
Abnormal, fine or medium crackling wet sounds typically
heard during inspiration; also known as rales
Diastole
Normal period in the heart cycle during which the muscle
fibers lengthen, the heart dilates, and the chambers fill with blood
Diffusion
The movement of gas molecules from an area of relatively
high concentration of gas to one of low concentration; Different gases each
move according to their own individual partial pressure gradients; Diffusion
continues until all the gases in the two areas are in equilibrium
Digital clubbing
An abnormal enlargement of the distal phalanges, usually
caused by chronic hypoxemia
Droplet transmission
Transmission of microorganisms by aerosolized droplets (0.5
microns or larger) usually produced by coughing or sneezing
Ductus arteriosus
Vessel between the left pulmonary artery and the aorta that
bypasses the lungs in the fetus
Dyspnea
Difficulty in breathing, of which the individual is aware
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Record of the electrical activity of the heart
Endotracheal
Within the trachea
Endotrachial tube
An artificial airway that may be passed orally or nasally
into the trachea, providing for positive pressure ventilation and airway
protection
Eupnea
Normal, spontaneous breathing
Extubation
The process in which the endotrachial tube is removed;
Extubation usually follows clinical improvement or accomplished outcomes on
the part of the patient
Fenestrated tracheostomy tume
A specialized tracheostomy tube in which there
is an opening (fenestration) cut into the cannula, permitting passage of air
into the upper airway
Fibrosis
Formation of scar tissue
Fistula
Abnormal passage or communication, usually
between two internal organs or leading from an internal organ to the surface
of the body
Flail chest
A thorax in which multiple rib fractures cause
instability in part of the chest wall and paradoxical breathing, with the
lung underlying the injured areas contracting on inspiration and bulging on
expiration
Foramen ovale
Opening between the atria of the heart in the
fetus; This opening normally closes shortly after birth
Forced vital capacity
The maximum volume of gas that can be exhaled
over a specific time period
Functional residual capacity
The volume of air remaining in the lungs after a
normal exhalation
Funnel chest
Abnormal deformity of the sternum that results
in a depression of the sternum and compression of the lungs
Heat and moisture exchanger (HME)
A hygroscopic device placed proximal to the
patient’s artificial airway that captures the exhaled moisture and
evaporates it during inspiration, humidifying the airway
Humidity
Water contained in a gas as a vapor
Hypercapnia
Greater than normal amount of carbon dioxide in
the blood; also called hypercarbia
Hyperpnea
Increased depth (volume) of breathing, with or
without an increased frequency
Hypersensitivity
Abnormal sensitivity to a stimulus of any kind
Hypoperfusion
Deficiency of blood coursing through the vessels
of the circulatory system
Hypopnea
A shallow ventilatory pattern
Hypoventilation
A decreased alveolar ventilation
Hypoxemia
An abnormally low oxygen content in blood
Incentive spirometer
A specific biofeedback device that records
volume or flow to provide encouragement and feedback for the patient to take
a deeper breath
Incentive spirometry
The technique of applying biofeedback devices
that encourage the patient to take deeper breaths than normal
Inflammation
Localized heat, redness, swelling, and pain as a
result of irritation, injury, or infection
Inspiratory capacity
The volume of air that can be inhaled after a
normal exhalation
Intubation
Passage of a tube into a body aperture;
specifically, the insertion of a breathing tube through the mouth or nose or
into the trachea
The application of positive pressure using an IPPB ventilator to increase the overall volume of air inspired
Ischemia
Decreased blood supply to a body organ or part
Kussmaul breathing
Both an increased depth and rate of breathing
Kyphoscoliosis
An abnormal curvature of the spine in which both
kyphosis and scoliosis are present
Kyphosis
An abnormal curvature of the upper spine in
which there is a greater posterior to anterior curve, resulting in a “”hump back”” appearance
Lactic acid
Acid formed in muscles during activity by the breakdown of sugar without oxygen
Lobar
Pertaining to a lobe, such as the lobes of the lung
Lung compliance
The change in lung volume per unit pressure change
MDI (Metered dose inhaler)
A small, compact, self-contained aerosol
dispensing device similar in design to an aerosol spray can
Metabolic acidosis
An acidosis produced as a result of the renal
system not producing enough bicarbonation, thus lowering the blood’s pH
Metabolism
Sum of all physical and chemical changes that
take place within an organism; all energy and material transformations that occur within living cells
Mucous
Pertaining to or resembling mucus; secreting mucus
Mucus
The gel-like substance of the mucous membranes,
composed of mucin (secreted by the mucus glands), along with various inorganic salts, desquamated cells, and leukocytes
Nasal cannula
A low flow oxygen delivery device designed to
administer oxygen through the nose, filling the anatomic reservoir with
oxygen enriched gas; This device is used with liter flows of less than 6 L/min
Nasopharyngeal airway
An artificial airway that passes through the
nose and nasopharynx and rests just behind the tongue, where it separates it from the posterior pharynx
Nebulizer
A device that produces an aerosol
Necrosis
Localized tissue death that occurs in groups of cells in response to disease or injury
Neoplasms
New and abnormal formation of tissue
Oropharyngeal airway
An artificial airway that is inserted into the mouth and separates the tongue from the posterior pharynx
Orthopnea
A condition in which an individual is able to breathe most comfortably only in the upright position
Oxygen concentrator
A medical device that separates oxygen from room
air, supplying up to 95% oxygen at low flow rates, often used in the home
Oxygen content
Total amount of oxygen in the blood
Palpation
A technique in which the patient’s body is touched by the examiner’s hands
Passy-Muir valve
A specialized one-way valve that is designed to
be placed onto a tracheostomy tube (when the cuff is deflated), which then
allows the patient to exhale through the upper airway
Pathogen
Any agent causing disease, especially a
microorganism
Peak expiratory flow rate
The maximal flow rate generated during a forceful exhalation
Peak flowmeter
A portable medical device that measures a
patient’s spontaneous peak expiratory flow rate during a forced exhalation
Perfusion
Passing of blood or fluid through a vascular bed
pH
Symbol for the logarithm of the reciprocal of the hydrogen ion concentration
Pneumothorax
A collection of air or gas in the pleural space,
causing the lung to collapse
Postural drainage
A technique in which the patient is positioned
in specific ways such that gravity assists with the drainage of pulmonary secretions from a lobe or segment
Pressure
In physics, the quotient obtained by dividing a
force by the area of the surface on which it acts
Pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP)
The pressure obtained when the balloon of the
pulmonary artery catheter is inflated, wedging it in the pulmonary artery
Pulmonary
Concerning or involving the lungs
Pulmonary vein
The vessel conducting blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart
Pulmonologist
A medical specialist trained in the functioning of the lungs and airways
Pulse oximeter
A medical instrument that allows the measurement
of oxygen saturation non-invasively using the infrared absorption spectra of hemoglobin
Respirometer
A portable medical device used to measure inspired or expired volumes at the bedside
Retinopathy of prematurity
A noninflammatory change in the retinal vessels
of newborns’ eyes resulting in constriction of the vessels and permanent
damage of the retina, caused by increased oxygen tensions in the plasma
Scoliosis
An abnormal lateral curvature of the spine
Soft tissue obstruction
Airway obstruction caused by relaxation of the
tongue and posterior pharynx, which obstructs the airway; Soft tissue
obstruction is the most common form of airway obstruction
Spacer
A chamber that is attached to an MDI to help
reduce the velocity of the aerosol and stabilize the particle size by
removing larger particles from suspension
Suction catheter
A small flexible catheter that is used to suction the airway
Suctioning
An invasive procedure in which a flexible
catheter is inserted into the tracheobronchial tree and vacuum is applied to remove secretions or foreign material
Therapeutic bronchoscopy
A bronchoscopy procedure that is performed to remove secretions, mucous plugs, or foreign bodies
Tracheostomy
A surgical incision made into the trachea at the
second cartilaginous ring at which point a tube is inserted to maintain a patent’s airway
Tracheostomy button
A specialized appliance that is designed to
maintain a patient stoma following the removal of the tracheostomy tube
Transtracheal catheter
A specialized catheter that is surgically
inserted into the trachea (second cartilaginous ring) for the administration of low flow oxygen
Vasodilation
Widening of blood vessels, especially the small arteries and arterioles
Vector transmission
Transmission of microorganisms via an intermediate host (flea, mosquito, tick, etc.)
Vehicle transmission
Transmission of microorganisms by an inanimate object, such as equipment used in treating the patient
Ventilation
Movement of air in and out of lungs
Ventricle
Either of two lower chambers of the heart
Viscous
Sticky; gummy; gelatinous
Vital capacity
The maximum volume of air that can be exhaled after a maximal inspiration.
Volume Percent (Vol%)
The number of milliliters (ml) of a substance contained in 100 ml of another substance.
Xopenex®
Inhalation medication (levalbuterol HCl) that is
indicated for the treatment or prevention of bronchospasm in adults,
adolescents, and children six years of age and older with reversible obstructive airway disease
Sources:
Cardiopulmonary Anatomy and Physiology:
Essentials for Respiratory Care, Terry R. Des Jardins, 3rd Edition, 1997
Basic Clinical Lab Competencies For
Respiratory Care: An Integrated Approach, Gary C. White, 3rd Edition, 1998
