Alveoli - ANSWER tiny, balloon-shaped air sacs located at the end of the bronchioles, the
branch-like tubes in the lungs.
The alveoli move oxygen and carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules into and out of your blood-
stream
Surfactant - ANSWER a substance in the lungs that prevents the alveoli from collapsing
Gas exchange - ANSWER the process of swapping oxygen and carbon dioxide between
the body and the environment
Causes of impaired gas exchange - ANSWER Alveolar Damage: Pneumonia, Acute respira-
tory distress syndrome (ARDS), Emphysema, and Pulmonary fibrosis.
Airway Obstruction: Asthma, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Bronchial tu-
mors, and Foreign bodies.
Reduced Surface Area: Atelectasis (collapsed lung) and Pulmonary edema (fluid accumula-
tion in the lungs)
Prevention of impaired gas exchange - ANSWER a combination of lifestyle changes and
breathing and coughing techniques.
quitting smoking, performing deep breathing and pursed-lip breathing exercises, maintaining
proper positioning like sitting upright or in a high Fowler's position
Diagnostic testing for gas exchange - ANSWER arterial blood gas (ABG) tests, which meas-
ure oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood
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,pulmonary function tests like the diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO)
test, which shows how well the lungs transfer gases
Treatment for gas exchange - ANSWER oxygen therapy, noninvasive ventilation (like CPAP
or BiPAP), and breathing exercises such as pursed-lip and deep-breathing techniques
Ventilation - ANSWER intentional process of introducing fresh, outdoor air into a space
while removing stale, indoor air
Respiration - ANSWER a two-part process involving the breathing (pulmonary) and the
cellular processes that create energy
Perfusion - ANSWER the process of circulating blood or fluid through the circulatory or
lymphatic system to an organ or tissue, ensuring delivery of oxygen and nutrients and re-
moval of waste
Dyspnea - ANSWER shortness of breath, is the feeling that you can't get enough air into
your lungs
Sputum - ANSWER a mixture of saliva and mucus coughed up from the respiratory tract,
typically as a result of infection or other disease
Cough-Hemoptysis - ANSWER coughing up blood, can be a serious symptom that requires
prompt medical attention
Pneumonia - ANSWER An infection of one or both lungs, caused by bacteria, viruses, or
fungi.
Pneumonia types - ANSWER community acquired, health care associated, hospital ac-
quired, ventilator associated
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, Pneumonia prevention - ANSWER Pneumococcal vaccine, flu vaccine, coughing and deep
breathing, hand washing, frequent mouth care, continuous suction for VAP
Pneumonia risk factors - ANSWER Advanced age, lung disease, smoking, suppressed im-
munity, confined to bed, post- op
Pneumonia symptoms - ANSWER coughing, fatigue, pleuritic pain, fever, increased WBC,
rust colored sputum, crackles, tachypnea
Pneumonia diagnosis - ANSWER chest x-ray, sputum smears
Pneumonia treatments - ANSWER antibiotics, antivirals, oxygen, fluids, airway clearance
therapy
Empiric treatment - ANSWER the administration of medications or other interventions
based on the most likely cause of a patient's symptoms, without definitive diagnostic confir-
mation
Community-Acquired Pneumonia - ANSWER a type of pneumonia that results from con-
tagious infection outside of a hospital or clinic
Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia - ANSWER pneumonia occurring 48 hours or longer after
hospital admission and not incubating at the time of hospitalization.
Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia - ANSWER lower respiratory tract infection that devel-
ops more than 48 to 72 hours after endotracheal intubation
Aspiration Pneumonia - ANSWER can occur when a foreign substance, such as vomit, is
inhaled into the lungs
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