🍪
'Tis the season sale SAVE 30% now
Registered Nurse (RN)
/
Courses
/
Medical Surgical Nursing & Pathophysiology
/
Respiratory Disorders
/
Chronic Bronchitis Assessment

Master Chronic Bronchitis Assessment with Picmonic for Nursing RN

With Picmonic, facts become pictures. We've taken what the science shows - image mnemonics work - but we've boosted the effectiveness by building and associating memorable characters, interesting audio stories, and built-in quizzing.

DOWNLOAD PDF
Chronic Bronchitis Assessment

Chronic Bronchitis Assessment

Crone Broccoli-on-fire and Assess-man
Picmonic
Chronic bronchitis is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in which the bronchial tubes become inflamed. Chronic bronchitis leads to increased bronchial wall thickness and increased mucus production. An individual can be diagnosed with this condition if he/she has a chronic productive cough for three months or more per year, for two consecutive years, and has no other underlying conditions that can explain the chronic cough. For a more comprehensive review of obstructive airway diseases, please view the COPD Overview Picmonic.
9 KEY FACTS
CLINICAL FINDINGS
Chronic Productive Cough
Crone Producing Coughing coffee-pot

Increased mucus production in patients with chronic bronchitis causes a chronic productive cough; a productive cough is one that produces sputum.

> 3 Months for 2 Years
> (3) Tree Month-moon to (2) Tutu Year-calendar

A patient may be diagnosed with chronic bronchitis, if he/she has a chronic productive cough for three months or more per year, for two consecutive years. The diagnosis can only be made if the patient has no other underlying conditions that can explain the chronic cough.

Increased Mucus Production
Up-arrow Mucus Produced

In patients with chronic bronchitis, both inflammatory mediators and goblet cells produce mucus. The result is an increase in mucus production, which triggers a chronic productive cough.

Dyspnea
Disc-P-lungs

Dyspnea is characterized by shortness of breath. In patients with heart failure, dyspnea is caused by decreased cardiac output.

Cyanosis
Cyan-crayon

Inadequate oxygenation of the blood leads to cyanosis or blue discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes. For this reason, individuals with chronic bronchitis are called “blue bloaters.”

Wheezes
Weasel

As the airway becomes narrower due to inflammation caused by chronic bronchitis, wheezing may occur. Patients should notify their provider if they experience new onset or worsening wheezing.

COMPLICATIONS
Right Side Heart Failure
Right dead heart

Pulmonary vasculature will undergo vasoconstriction due to chronic hypoxia, related to chronic bronchitis. This vasoconstriction can lead to pulmonary hypertension, and eventually, enlargement of the right ventricle of the heart (cor pulmonale). As the right ventricle enlarges, right-sided heart failure may also develop.

Jugular Venous Distention (JVD)
Jug Veins Bulging

When the right side of the heart fails, the ability to pump blood through the heart and into the lungs is reduced. As a result, blood begins to back up into the vasculature, and can cause neck vein distension or jugular venous distention (JVD).

Peripheral Edema
Peripheral Edamame

Right heart failure leads to decreased cardiac pumping power, which ultimately affects the forward flow of blood. Remember, if the right side of the heart is unable to pump blood to the lungs, the blood will back up into the vasculature, causing peripheral edema.

DOWNLOAD PDF

Recommended Picmonics

picmonic thumbnail
Chronic Bronchitis Interventions
picmonic thumbnail
Hypoxia (Early Symptoms)
picmonic thumbnail
Hypoxia (Late Symptoms)
picmonic thumbnail
COPD Overview (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Overview)
picmonic thumbnail
Asthma Assessment

Take the Chronic Bronchitis Assessment Quiz

Picmonic's rapid review multiple-choice quiz allows you to assess your knowledge.

It's worth every penny

Our Story Mnemonics Increase Mastery and Retention

Memorize facts with phonetic mnemonics

Unforgettable characters with concise but impactful videos (2-4 min each)

Memorize facts with phonetic mnemonics

Ace Your Registered Nurse (RN) Classes & Exams with Picmonic:

Over 1,990,000 students use Picmonic’s picture mnemonics to improve knowledge, retention, and exam performance.

Choose the #1 Registered Nurse (RN) student study app.

Picmonic for Registered Nurse (RN) covers information that is relevant to your entire Registered Nurse (RN) education. Whether you’re studying for your classes or getting ready to conquer your NCLEX®-RN, Hesi, ATI, TEAS test, Kaplan exams, we’re here to help.

Works better than traditional Registered Nurse (RN) flashcards.

Research shows that students who use Picmonic see a 331% improvement in memory retention and a 50% improvement in test scores.