Respiratory examination

 

General inspection

·      Conscious state: ↑↓↔

·      Respiratory effort: ↑↓↔, accessory muscle use, pursed lips

·      Colour: pink, blue

·      Body habitus: cachexia

·      Syndrome

Vital signs

·      RR and regularity

·      SpO2

Hands

·      Hypercapnoea: asterixis, bounding pulse

·      Chronic hypoxia: clubbing

·      Cancer: ulnar wasting, HPOA

·      Smoking: tar staining

Head and neck

·      Eyes: conjunctival pallor and Horner’s syndrome

·      Face: plethora and Pemberton’s sign

·      Neck: supraclav lymph nodes

·      Voice: RLN palsy hoarseness

Chest

*Anterior, lateral and posterior*

·      Inspection: scars, deformity, barrel chest

·      Palpation: bilateral expansion

·      Percussion

·      Auscultation

·      Vocal resonance

Praecordium

·      Cor pulmonale: loud P2, parasternal heave

Bedside test

·      PEFR

·      Spirometry

 

 

Feedback welcome at ketaminenightmares@gmail.com