Anatomy subcategory

Asthma and COPD

Mnemonics for obstructive airway disease, inhalers and acute management.

Entries in Asthma and COPD

Acute Asthma Severity Assessment Mnemonic

Moderate, acute severe, life threatening and near fatal

A memory aid for grading the severity of an acute asthma attack.

Respiratory ExaminationAsthma and COPD
Airway Resistance Mnemonic

Medium-sized bronchi contribute most resistance, not the smallest airways

A memory aid for where airway resistance is greatest and what alters it.

RespiratoryAsthma and COPD
Asthma and COPD Inhaled Therapy Mnemonic

Beta-2 agonists, antimuscarinics, corticosteroids and leukotriene antagonists

A memory aid for the classes of inhaled respiratory drug.

Respiratory and Gastrointestinal PharmacologyAsthma and COPD
Asthma Diagnosis Mnemonic

Variable airflow obstruction, demonstrated objectively

A memory aid for the objective tests used to diagnose asthma.

Asthma and COPD
Asthma Physiology Mnemonic

Bronchoconstriction, gas trapping and hyperinflation with V/Q mismatch

A memory aid for the physiological changes in acute asthma.

RespiratoryAsthma and COPD
Bronchial Asthma Mediators Mnemonic

Histamine and leukotrienes early, cellular infiltration late

A memory aid for the mediators of the early and late asthmatic response.

RespiratoryAsthma and COPD
COPD Diagnosis and Staging Mnemonic

Post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC below 0.7, staged by FEV1

A memory aid for diagnosing COPD and grading its severity.

Asthma and COPD
COPD Exacerbation Management Mnemonic

Controlled oxygen, bronchodilators, steroids, and antibiotics if infected

A mnemonic for treating an acute exacerbation of COPD.

Asthma and COPDAirway and Breathing Emergencies
COPD Physiology Mnemonic

Loss of elastic recoil, airway collapse, gas trapping and impaired gas exchange

A memory aid for the physiological changes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

RespiratoryAsthma and COPD
Dynamic Airway Compression Mnemonic

Beyond a certain effort, higher pleural pressure compresses airways and flow cannot increase

A memory aid for why forced expiration is effort independent.

RespiratoryAsthma and COPD
Emphysema Types Mnemonic

Centriacinar from smoking, panacinar from alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

A memory aid for the patterns of emphysema.

Respiratory PathologyAsthma and COPD
Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide Mnemonic

A marker of eosinophilic airway inflammation

A memory aid for the use of FeNO in diagnosing asthma.

Lung Function TestsAsthma and COPD
Obstructive Versus Restrictive Physiology Mnemonic

Obstruction traps gas and raises volumes; restriction reduces all volumes

A memory aid for the physiological differences between obstruction and restriction.

RespiratoryAsthma and COPD
Peak Expiratory Flow Interpretation Mnemonic

Effort dependent, compared with predicted or personal best

A memory aid for using and interpreting peak flow.

Lung Function TestsAsthma and COPD
Smoking and Respiratory Physiology Mnemonic

Impaired clearance, carboxyhaemoglobin, protease imbalance and accelerated decline in FEV1

A memory aid for the physiological effects of cigarette smoking.

RespiratoryAsthma and COPD