| A | B |
|---|
| epistaxis | nose bleed |
| sputum | phlegm that is ejected from the mouth |
| pneumothorax | collection of air in the pleural space |
| pleural effusion | build up of fluid between the layers of the pleural space |
| empyema (pyothorax) | accumulation of pus in the pleural space |
| Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) | respiratory disorder due to a viral infection; causes fever, non-productive cough and breathing difficulty |
| pulmonary edema | accumulation of fluid in lung air sacs and bronchioles |
| atelectasis | collapsed lung; lung fails to completely expand |
| pneumoconiosis | fibrosis caused by dust in the lungs |
| pulmonary fibrosis | formation of scar tissue in the lung |
| anthracosis | fibrosis caused by coal dust in the lungs (coal miner's disease, black-lung disease) |
| asbestosis | fibrosis caused by asbestos in the lungs |
| mesothelioma | rare malignant tumour arising in the pleura; due to asbestos exposure |
| pulmonary embolism | occurs when a foreign object, such as a clot, travels through the circulation and becomes lodged into one of the vessels in the lungs |
| anoxia | absence of oxygen in the body; brain damage in 4-6 minutes |
| hypoxia | below normal oxygen levels in the tissues |
| hypoxemia | below normal oxygen levels in the blood |
| asphyxia | occurs when the body cannot get air (suffocation); fatal within minutes |
| blood gases | laboratory test to determine the concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide in blood |
| auscultation | listening to sounds in the body using a stethoscope |
| percussion | tapping on a surface to determine the difference in density of underlying structures |
| pulmonary function tests | tests to measure the mechanics of lungs |
| pulse oximeter | monitor that is placed on a patient's finger or earlobe to measure the oxygen saturation of blood |
| tuberculin skin testing | injecting skin with the antigen from the TB toxin to determine if the individual has been exposed to TB in the past |
| bronchodilator | medication that expands opening of airways and is administered with an inhaler or nebulizer |
| antiasthmatic | medication that reduces inflammation or prevents bronchoconstrictors from binding to receptors to treat asthma |
| mucolytics | medications that breakdown mucus |
| antitussive | medication that prevents or relieves coughing |
| expectorant | medication that increases fluid secretiont to thin out mucus in lungs |
| decongestant | medication that relieves nasal congestion |
| endotracheal intubation | establishing or maintaining an airway via a tube that is placed through the mouth into the trachea |
| ventilator | breathing support that forces air into lungs, but allows exhalation to be passive |
| respirator | prolonged artificial respiration support |
| rale | fine, crackling sound heard during inspiration when there is fluid in the alveoli |
| rhonchus | Coarse rumbling sound heard when there is sputum in the bronchi |
| stridor | strained, high-pitched sound heard during inspiration when the larynx or trachea is obstructed |
| wheeze | continuous whistling sound heard when air is forced through a narrowed space |
| Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases | group of generally irreversible diseases which are characterized by airflow limitations |
| emphysema | hyperinflation of air sacs with destruction of alveolar walls |
| chronic bronchitis | persistent inflammation of the bronchi |
| asthma | chronic bronchial inflammation disorder; causes bronchial edema, constriction and increased mucus production |
| croup | acute viral respiratory syndrome in children and infants that causes obstruction, hoarseness, barking cough, stridor |
| pertussis | whooping cough; bacterial infection; reccurrant paroxysmal cough, breathlessness, followed by a noisy inspiration |
| tuberculosis | bacterial infection that attacks the lungs and potentially other organs |
| pneumonia | acute infection and inflammation of alveoli; small bronchioles and alveoli fill with pus or mucus |
| cystic fibrosis | inherited disorder of exocrine glands that causes thickened mucus and insufficient secretion of pancreatic enzymes |
