Glossary of Breathing Terms

Asthma
Inflammation and spasticity of the airways, often resulting from allergies.

Bronchiectasis
A lung disease characterized by weak and “floppy” airways, resulting in impaction of secretions and frequent bronchopulmonary infections.

Bronchitis
Inflammation of the airways.             

Bronchodilator
A medicine that relaxes the smooth muscles lining the airways so that they become wider, which makes it easier to breathe.

Bronchospasm
Airway constriction and twitchiness, such as occurs in asthma, that makes it difficult to breathe.

Chronic Bronchitis
A condition in which a cough that produces sputum (phlegm) is present for at least 3 months per year for two consecutive years.

COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.  A disease state in which there is obstruction to the flow of air through the breathing tubes from chronic bronchitis or emphysema.

Cystic Fibrosis
A genetic disorder inherited as an autosomal recessive trait that affects approximately 30,000 persons in the USA.  It results in several clinical syndromes related to exocrine function, most notably pancreatic and pulmonary function.  Pulmonary secretions are very thick and tenacious, resulting in the development of bronchiolitis and bronchiectasis, and frequent pulmonary infections. 

Dry powder inhaler
(DPI)  A breath actuated inhaler that consists of a delivery device in which a capsule is inserted, punctured, and then usually is spun in some manner when the user inhales, causing the medication to be inhaled into the airways.

Emphysema
A lung disease characterized by narrow and inflamed airways, abnormal, permanent enlargement of air spaces resulting in trapped air in the lungs, and destruction of the walls of the airspaces. 

Larynx
The voice box, or vocal cords.

Metered dose inhaler (MDI)
A pressurized canister containing medication for inhalation, the dosage of which is metered to control the dosage per “puff”.

Nebulizer
A device that breaks a liquid into a fine mist for inhalation.

Peak inspiratory flow
The highest rate of air flow an individual can achieve after breathing in as deep as possible and then blowing out as hard as possible. 

Pneumonia
Inflammation of the lungs with consolidation. Human pneumonias are usually categorized by causative organism (e.g., bacterial, viral) or by location (e.g., bronchial, lobar). 

Pulmonary Function Test
(See “Spirometry”) Measurement of lung volumes, flow rates, gas diffusion, etc. related to pulmonary function.

Reactive airways disease
Breathing problems that can be significantly reversed by treatment with bronchodilators.

Spirometry
Measurement of lung volumes and flow rates (to determine pulmonary function status).

Sources:

Dorland’s illustrated medical dictionary 30th Edition.  (2003).  Saunders. Philadelphia, Pa. 

Gardenhire, DS, Rau’s Respiratory Care Pharmacology 7th Edition. (2008). Mosby Elsevier.  St. Louis, Mo.

Wilkins, RL, Stoller, JK, Scanlan, CL, Egan’s Fundamentals of Respiratory Care 8th Edition. (2003). Mosby.  St. Louis, Mo.