Pulmonary Definitions

Front 1

Total Lung Capacity (TLC)

Back 1

the volume of gas in the lungs after a maximal inspiration

Front 2

Vital Capacity (VC)
or forced vital capacity

Back 2

the volume of gas that can be forcefully expelled form the lungs after maximal inspiration in one second.

Front 3

Inspiratory Capacity (IC)

Back 3

amount of air which can be inhaled.

Front 4

Residual Volume (RV)

Back 4

is the volume of gas remaining in the lungs after maximal expiration.

Front 5

Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1)

Back 5

is the volume of gas that can be forcefully expelled from the lungs after maximal inspiration in one second.

Front 6

Wheezes

Back 6

are continuous musical or whistling noises caused by turbulent airflow.

Front 7

Dyspnea

Back 7

is a sensation of breathlessness that is excessive for any given activity.

Front 8

Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea

Back 8

inappropriate dyspnea at night

Front 9

Orthopnea

Back 9

dyspnea of recumbency

Front 10

Tachypnea

Back 10

rapid, shallow breathing at a rate > 18/min

Front 11

Hyperpnea

Back 11

is rapid, deep breathing.

Front 12

Hyperventilation

Back 12

is an increase in the amount of air entering the alveoli, causing hypocapnia.

Front 13

Hypocapnia

Back 13

deficiency of carbon dioxide in the blood, often due to hyperventilation which can lead to alkalosis.

Front 14

Pneumonia (consolidation)

Back 14

inflammation of the lungs with consolidation (fluid filled).

Front 15

Pneumothorax

Back 15

an accumulation of air or gas in the pleural space, which may occur spontaneously or after trauma.

Front 16

Hemothorax

Back 16

presence of gross blood in the pleural space.

Front 17

Central cyanosis

Back 17

bluish discoloration of skin and mucous membranes, which is caused by hypoxemia from respiratory failure.

Front 18

Clubbing

Back 18

is the widening of the anteroposterior thickness of the index finger at the base of the fingernail which exceeds the thickness of the distal interphalangeal joint and can be caused by both pulmonary and nonpulmonary causes.

Front 19

Tactile fremitus

Back 19

denotes palpable voice vibrations on the chest wall.

Front 20

Bronchophony

Back 20

increased intensity and clarity of the spoken word during auscultation

Front 21

Whispered pectoriloquy

Back 21

softly spoken words are heard readily by auscultation.

Front 22

Egophony

Back 22

auscultation of an "a" sound when the patient speaks an "e".

Front 23

Atelectasis

Back 23

incomplete expansion of a lung or portion of a lung, airlessness of a lung that had been expanded.

Front 24

Pleural effusion

Back 24

the presence of liquid in the pleural space.

Front 25

Hemoptysis

Back 25

the expectoration of blood or blood tinged sputum.

Front 26

Crackles

Back 26

discontinuous adventitious, abnormal breath sounds heard during auscultation.

Front 27

Stridor

Back 27

is a crowing sound during breathing caused by turbulent airflow through a narrow upper airway.

Front 28

Inspiratory stridor

Back 28

stridor occuring on inspiration, suggestive of variable extrathoracic airway obstruction.

Front 29

Expiratory stridor

Back 29

- stridor occurring on expiration suggestive of variable intrathoracic obstruction.

Front 30

Dead space

Back 30

portion of air in the lung which does not participate with oxygen exchange.

Front 31

Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea

Back 31

inappropriate breathlessness at night.

Front 32

Playtpnea

Back 32

is dyspnea in the upright position relieved by recumbency emothorax.

Front 33

Chylothorax

Back 33

the presence of chyle in the pleural space as the result of disruption of the thoracic duct (milky fluid - lymph and droplets of triglycerides which are alkaline contents of the lymphatic vessels) in the thoracic cavity.

Front 34

Empyema

Back 34

accumulation of pus in a cavity.

Front 35

Asthma

Back 35

a disease characterized by an increased responsiveness of the trachea and bronchi to various stimuli and manifested by widespread narrowing of the airways that changes in severity

Front 36

Exercise-induced asthma

Back 36

occurs mainly in patients with asthma, with attacks 5-10 minutes into exercise.

Front 37

Triad asthma

Back 37

is a combination of intrinsic asthma, aspirin sensitivity, and nasal polyps

Front 38

Occupational asthma

Back 38

may be triggered by various agents found in the work place and occurs a few
weeks to many years after initial exposure to an offending organism.

Front 39

Cardiac asthma

Back 39

represents bronchospasm precipitated by congestive heart failure.

Front 40

Asthmatic bronchitis

Back 40

denotes chronic bronchitis with features of bronchospasm that quickly responds to bronchodilator therapy.

Front 41

Drug-induced asthma

Back 41

is caused by many commonly used agents.

Front 42

Pleurisy

Back 42

inflammation of the pleura, with exudation into its cavity and upon its surface.

Front 43

Chronic bronchitis

Back 43

is characterized by excessive secretion of broncial mucus and is manifested by productive cough for 3 months or more in at least 2 consecutive years in the absence of any other disease

Front 44

Emphysema

Back 44

denotes abnormal, permanent enlargement of air spaces distal to the terminal bronchioles, with destruction of their walls and without obvious fibrosis.

Front 45

Acute respiratory failure (ARF)

Back 45

of oxygenation or CO2 elimination severe enough to impair or threaten the function of vital organs.

Front 46

Bronchiolitis

Back 46

inflammation of the smallest bronchial tubes.

Front 47

Bronchiectasis

Back 47

congenital or acquired disorder of the large bronchi characterized by permanent abnormal dilatation and destruction of bronchial walls.

Front 48

Pneumoconioses

Back 48

are chronic fibrotic lung diseases caused by inhalation of coal dust and various inert, inorganic, or silicate dusts.

Front 49

Asbestosis

Back 49

a pneumoconiosis caused by inhalation of asbestos particles