Breathing patterns:

Tachypnoea Bradypnoea Apnoea( Tachypnoea, Bradypnoea, Apnoea )—quick, shallow breaths

Bradypnoea Tachypnoea Apnoea( Bradypnoea, Tachypnoea, Apnoea )—abnormally slow breathing

Apnoea Tachypnoea Bradypnoea( Apnoea, Tachypnoea, Bradypnoea )—cessation of breathing

Breathing patterns:

Hyperventilation Hypoventilation( Hyperventilation, Hypoventilation )—overexpansion of the lungs, characterised by rapid and deep breaths

Hypoventilation Hyperventilation( Hypoventilation, Hyperventilation )—underexpansion of the lungs, characterised by shallow respirations

Cheyne–Stokes breathing Tachypnoea Dyspnoea( Cheyne–Stokes breathing, Tachypnoea, Dyspnoea )—waxing and waning of respirations, from very deep to very shallow breathing and temporary apnoea

Breathing ease or effort:
Dyspnoea Orthopnoea( Dyspnoea, Orthopnoea )—difficult and laboured breathing during which the individual has a persistent, unsatisfied need for air and feels distressed

Orthopnoea Dyspnoea( Orthopnoea, Dyspnoea )—ability to breathe only in upright sitting or standing positions

Breath sounds
Stridor Bubbling( Stridor, Bubbling )—a shrill, harsh sound heard during inspiration with laryngeal obstruction

Stertor Stridor( Stertor, Stridor )—snoring or sonorous respiration, usually due to a partial obstruction of the upper airway

Wheeze Stertor( Wheeze, Stertor )—continuous, high-pitched musical squeak or whistling sound occurring on expiration and sometimes on inspiration when air moves through a narrowed or partially obstructed airway

Bubbling Stertor( Bubbling, Stertor )—gurgling sounds heard as air passes through moist secretions in the respiratory tract

Chest movements:

Intercostal Substernal Suprasternal( Intercostal, Substernal, Suprasternal ) retraction—indrawing between the ribs

Substernal Intercostal Suprasternal( Substernal, Intercostal, Suprasternal ) retraction—indrawing beneath the breastbone

Suprasternal Substernal Intercostal( Suprasternal, Substernal, Intercostal ) retraction—indrawing above the clavicles

Secretions and coughing:

Haemoptysis Productive cough Non-productive cough( Haemoptysis, Productive cough, Non-productive cough )—the presence of blood in the sputum

Productive cough Haemoptysis Non-productive cough( Productive cough, Haemoptysis, Non-productive cough )—a cough accompanied by expectorated secretions

Non-productive cough Haemoptysis Productive cough( Non-productive cough, Haemoptysis, Productive cough )—a dry, harsh cough without secretions

Factors affecting oxygen saturation readings:

Haemoglobin Circulation( Haemoglobin, Circulation ): If the haemoglobin is fully saturated with oxygen, the SpO2 will appear normal even if the total haemoglobin level is low. Thus, the person could be severely anaemic and have inadequate oxygen to supply the tissues but the pulse oximeter would return a normal value.

Circulation Haemoglobin( Circulation, Haemoglobin ): The oximeter will not return an accurate reading if the area under the sensor has impaired circulation, such as occurs in peripheral vascular disease or if a person is very cold.

Activity: Shivering or excessive movement of the sensor site may interfere with accurate readings.

Dark-coloured nail polish or discolouration of the nail bed: False readings typically arise when a person is wearing dark-coloured nail polish or if the nail bed is discoloured by a subdermal haematoma or other sources of nail bed discolouration, such as nicotine stains.

Carbon monoxide poisoning Circulation( Carbon monoxide poisoning, Circulation ): Pulse oximeters cannot discriminate between haemoglobin saturated with carbon monoxide versus oxygen. In this case, other measures of oxygenation are needed.

The systolic diastolic( systolic, diastolic ) pressure is the pressure of the blood as a result of contraction of the ventricles; that is, the pressure of the height of the blood wave. The diastolic systolic( diastolic, systolic ) pressure is the pressure when the ventricles are at rest.