Summary Lower Respiratory Infections Study guide

Lower Respiratory
Infections Study guide



Lower respiratory infections occur in the lungs or below the voice box and can include
pneumonia, bronchitis, and tuberculosis. Whereas, chronic respiratory diseases
consist of diseases of the airways and lung structures, the two most common are chronic

obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma
Pathophysiology


Aspiration of oropharyngeal secretions is the most common cause of lower respiratory

infections, but inhaling infected microorganisms, or bacteria that spread to the lungs in blood

also causes Obstructive diseases like asthma and COPD are caused by narrowing airways,

obstructing airflow, difficulty exhaling, and chronic inflammation.

Clinical finding



Common signs and symptoms or findings with respiratory conditions include dyspnea,

dyspnea on exertion, tachypnea, cough-productive and or nonproductive, abnormal

sputum, cyanosis, clubbing, chest pain, chest constriction, expiratory wheezes, prolonged

expiration, tachycardia, tachypnea, recurrent pulmonary infections, use of accessory

muscles to breathe, barrel chest, or pursed lip breathing

Diagnostic Methods