pulmonary vascular disease is a broad term that can be used to describe
any condition that affects the blood vessels in the lungs we created this video to cover the
medical definition and provide a brief overview of this topic so if you're ready let's get into it
as previously mentioned pulmonary vascular disease refers to any condition that affects the blood
vessels within the lungs some examples include deep venous thrombosis pulmonary embolism and
pulmonary hypertension during normal circulation blood travels from the heart to the lungs
in order to pick up oxygen molecules then blood travels back to the heart where it is pumped to
the rest of the tissues in the body to deliver oxygen this is an important process that is
required for survival however certain pulmonary vascular diseases can affect this process
which is why this is an important topic for respiratory therapists and medical professionals
so now let's talk briefly about each type first we have dvt or deep venous thrombosis
this is a condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in one or more of the deep veins in the body
usually from the legs the clot can then break off and travel to the lungs where it can cause
a pulmonary embolism this is a serious condition that can be life-threatening if left untreated
and that leads to what i just mentioned which is a pulmonary embolism this is a condition
in which there is a blood clot or blockage in the lungs that can also be life-threatening if
left untreated it causes serious problems because the clot prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching
the lungs and another type of pulmonary vascular disease that we should mention
is pulmonary hypertension this is a condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries of the
lungs is increased this can be caused by a number of different conditions including heart disease
lung diseases and sleep apnea and one more thing that we need to talk about
is the ventilation perfusion scan or vq scan for short a vq skin is an imaging test that uses a
radiographic substance to assess the ventilation and perfusion of lungs by measuring the flow of
air and blood within the lungs it allows for the diagnosis of pulmonary vascular diseases
however a vq scan is most commonly indicated to help diagnose or rule out a pulmonary embolism
it can also help physicians examine the lungs of preoperative patients so what is the role
of the respiratory therapist in pulmonary vascular disease according to the eagan's fundamentals of
respiratory care the respiratory therapist is highly involved in the diagnosis and management
of patients with pulmonary vascular disease a skilled respiratory therapist may be the first
to recognize the signs and symptoms of deep venous thrombosis pulmonary hypertension and
pulmonary embolism some examples include dyspnea hypotension hypoxemia pleuritic pain and pedal
edema in this case the respiratory therapist must communicate these findings with the physician
and help form a care plan that involves potentially life-saving treatment modalities
also the respiratory therapist is involved in the treatment process some examples
include recommending compression stockings and administering nitric oxide and other inhaled
medications for pulmonary hypertension but again for this video we just wanted to provide you with
a brief overview of the stopping we'll be breaking it down into much more detail in a separate video
and just a quick reminder we are not doctors this video is for informational purposes only
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much for watching all the way to the end have a blessed day and as always real easy my friend
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you