Acute asthma Flashcards
what is acute asthma
progressive worsening of asthma symptoms, including breathlessness, wheeze, cough, chest tightness
an acute exacerbation is marked by reduction in baseline objective measured of pulmonary function e.g.
PEF and FEV1
most asthma attacks that are severe enough to require hospitalisation usually develops relatively slowly over a period of 6 hours or more - true or false
TRUE
these 2 birth related factors may be risk factors for recurrent wheeze
low birth weight and/or prematurity
define moderate acute asthma according to symptoms, PEF
- increasing symptoms of asthma
- no features of acute severe asthma
- peak flow >50-75% best or predicted
define severe acute asthma speach, peak flow, HR, RR
any one of the following
PF 33-50% best or predicted
respiratory rate ≥25/min
HR ≥110/min
inability to complete sentences in one breath
a peak flow of 33-50% best of predicted is a sign of
severe acute asthma
a peak flow >50-75% best or predicted is a sign of
moderate acute asthma
in life threatening acute asthma, pt can have any one of the following
peak flow <33% best or predicted
SpO2 <92%
PaO2 <8kPa
normal PaCO2
silent chest
cyanosis
poor respiratory effort
arrhythmia
exhaustion
altered conscious level
hypotension
a peak flow of <33% best or predicted, or SpO2 <92% is a sign of
life threatening acute asthma
silent chest is a sign of
life threatening acute asthma
near fatal acute asthma is defined by
raised PaCO2 and/or the need for mechanical ventilation with raised inflation pressures
patients with this acute asthma should be treated at home or in primary care and their repsosne to treatment should be assessed
moderate acute asthma
however hospital referral may be warranted depending on circumstance e.g. response to treatment, social circumstance, concomitant disease
pt with features of severe or life threatening acute asthma need to be treated
ASAP and be referred to hospital immediately
who do you need to give supplemental oxygen to and what SpO2 level do you need to maintain
give to all hypoxaemic (lower than normal oxygen levels in blood) pt with severe asthma
maintain SpO2 level between 94-98%
do not delay supplementary oxygen if pulse oximetry unavailable
management of acute asthma in adults - 1st line (for mild to moderate, and severe to life threatening)
high dose inhaled SABA (e.g. salbutamol) ASAP
if mild to moderate, can use pMDI and spacer
acute severe or life threatening symptoms: recommended to administer via oxygen driven nebuliser if available
if response to initial dose of nebulised SABA is poor, consider continuous nebulisation with appropriate nebuliser
reserve IV beta agonists for pt in whom inhaled therapy cannot be used reliably
in all cases of acute asthma in adults, need to be prescribed the following
+ alt
adequate dose of oral prednisolone
continue usual ICS during oral CC treatment
alt in pt unable to take oral prendisolon: parenteral HC or IM methylpredinosolone
should patients continue with their usual ICS during oral CC treatment for acute asthma?
yes
All adults who have had acute asthma need to be prescribed oral prenisolone therapy. what about pt who cannot take oral prednisolone?
IV HC
IM methylprednisolone
the following combination may be used in patients with severe or life threatening acute asthma, or in pt with poor initial response to beta agonsist therapy to provide greater bronchodilation
Nebulised iptratropium bromide may be combined with nebulised b2 agonist