Asthma Flashcards
What are classic symptoms of asthma?
- wheezing
- chest tightness
- coughing
What are common asthma triggers?
- pollution
- cigarettes
- cold air/weather change
- pets
- dust/pollen/cockroaches
- perfumes/cosmetics
- aspirin/NSAIDs/non-selective beta-blockers
What comorbid conditions can trigger asthma?
- infections
- allergies
- GERD
- obesity
- obstructive sleep apnea
- anxiety/stress/depression
How is asthma diagnosed?
Spirometry:
1. measure FEV1 at baseline
2. give albuterol
3. measure post-bronchodilator FEV1
4. FEV1increase > 12% post bronchodilator is consistent with asthma
What guidelines are established for treating asthma
Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA)
What is used to assess patient for initial asthma therapy?
Clinical Assessment and Treatment Step
What is step 1 symptom severity?
Daytime symptoms <2 times per month
No night symptoms
What is step 2 symptom severity?
Daytime symptoms >2x/month but less than 4-5 days/week
No night symptoms
What is step 3 symptom severity?
Daytime symptoms most days
≥ 1 night awakening/ week
What is step 4 symptom severity?
Daytime symptoms every day
≥ 1 night awakening/ week
What is a general treatment approach to asthma?
assess Q 2-6 weeks:
1. assess adherence
2. assess technique, including priming and cleaning
3. step-up, maintain or step-down treatment
once control is achieved follow up Q 1-6 months; Q 3 months with step-down therapy
What medication classes are reliever/rescue drugs?
- inhaled ICS+ formoterol (preferred)
- inhaled SABA
- systemic steroids
- inhaled epinephrine
- SAMA
What reliever medication is available OTC?
inhaled epinephrine
Why is ICS preferred in all patients for exacerbation and maintenance vs. bronchodilators?
- most effective antiinflammatory drugs
- reduces exacerbations
What drug classes are controller/maintenance?
- ICS
- LABA + ICS
- Leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA) PO
- Theophylline PO/IV
- LAMA (Add on)
- injectable monoclonal antibodies SC/IV
What monoclonal antibody is for severe allergic asthma?
Omalizumab
What monoclonal antibodies are for severe eosinophilic asthma?
- mepolizumab
- reslizumab
- benralizumab
- dupilumab
What monoclonal antibody is used in severe asthma regardless of eosinophil count/ other markers?
Tezepelumab
What is initial therapy for step 1?
- prn low-dose ICS+ formoterol
OR - SABA + low-dose ICS
What is initial therapy for step 2/ needing SABA > 2 times/month?
- prn low-dose ICS+ formoterol
OR - prn SABA + low-dose ICS+ low dose ICS scheduled
OR - prn SABA + low-dose ICS+ LTRA
What is initial therapy for step 3?
- prn and scheduled low-dose ICS + formoterol
OR - prn SABA +ICS AND scheduled low dose ICS +formoterol
- low-dose ICS + LTRA
- Medium-dose ICS
What is initial therapy for step 4/ initial presentation is exacerbation?
- prn low-dose ICS + formoterol AND scheduled medium-dose ICS + formoterol
- prn low-dose ICS + formoterol AND scheduled medium-dose ICS + LABA
- prn low-dose ICS + SABA AND scheduled medium-dose ICS + formoterol +LRTA/tiotropium
- high-dose ICS
What is the initial treatment for step 5?
- prn low-dose ICS + formoterol AND scheduled high-dose ICS + formoterol
- prn low-dose ICS + SABA AND scheduled high-dose ICS + LABA
- prn low-dose ICS + SABA AND scheduled high ICS + formoterol +tiotropium/oral steroid/injectable treatments
albuterol
- ProAir HFA
- ProAIr Respiclick (DPI)
- Proventil HFA
- Ventolin HFA
Salmeterol
Severevent Diskus (DPI)
Levalbuterol
Xopenex HFA
Beclomethasone
QVAR RediHaler
Budesonide
Pulmicort Flexhaler (DPI)
Pulmicort Respules (nebulizer)
Budesonide+ formoterol
Symbicort (DPI)
Breyna (DPI)
Fluticasone
Flovent HFA
Flovent Diskus (brand D/C)
Arnuity Ellipta (DPI)
ArmonAir Digihaler (DPI)
Fluticasone+salmeterol
Advair Diskus
Advair HFA
Fluticasone + vilanterol
Breo Ellipta
Mometasone + formoterol
Dulera
Mometasone
Asmanex HFA
Asmanex
Ciclesonide
Alvesco
What are SEs of beta-2 agonists?
- nervousness
- tremor
- tachycardia
- palpitations
- cough
- hyperglycemia
- hypokalemia
What are warnings with SABAs?
Use caution in:
1. CVD
2. glaucoma
3. hyperthyroidism
4. seizures
5. diabetes
What are monitoring parameters for SABAs?
- # of days of SABA use
- sx frequency
- peak flow
- pulmonary function tests
- BP
- HR
- blood glucose
- K+
What is an important counseling point for MDI (HFA) use?
shake well before use
What is the difference between levalbuterol vs. albuterol?
Levalbuterol contains the R-isomer of albuterol
What are boxed warnings with LABAs?
- increased risk of asthma-related deaths; should only be used in asthma patients already receiving but not controlled on inhaled corticosteroids
- increased risk of asthma-related hospitalization in pediatric and adolescent patients
What is the MOA of beta-2 agonists?
beta-2 agonists bind to beta-2 receptors –> relaxation of bronchial smooth muscle–> bronchodialation
Epinephrine
Asthmanefrin Refill
Why should inhaled epinephrine not be used?
non-selective beta-agonist; FDA-approved for mild asthma symptoms in intermittent asthma only
Albuterol+ budesonide
Airsupra
What is the MOA of ICS?
inhibit inflammatory response
What are warnings with ICS?
- high doses for extended periods of time can cause adrenal suppression
- immunosuppression
- increased risk of fractures
- growth retardation
What are SEs of ICS?
- dysphonia (difficulty speaking)
- oral candidiasis (thrush)
- cough
- headache
- hoarseness
- URTIs
- hyperglycemia
What are the monitoring parameters with ICS?
- use of SABA/ rescue inhaler
- sx frequency
- peak flow
- growth (children)
- s/sx of renal insufficiency
- s/sx thrush
- bone density
What can be done to decrease the risk of thrush?
- rinse mouth with water and spit out each time ICS used to prevent thrush
- use a spacer with MDI ICS
What is the only ICS available as a nebulizer suspension?
Budesonide (Pulmicort Respules)
How is Pulmicort Respules used?
only use with a jet nebulizer connected to an air compressor; DO NOT use an ultrasonic nebulizer
Why should QVAR RediHaler not be shaken or used with a spacer?
breath-activated aerosol with characteristics of MDi and DPI
Which ICS contains built-in electronic module that detects, record, and stores data (detects when inhaler is used and measures inspiratory flow)?
- ArmonAir Digihaler (fluticasone)
- AirDuo Digihaler (fluticasone+ salmeterol)
What is a low daily dose of Beclomethasone MDI 40 or 80 mcg/inh?
100-200 mcg
What is a medium daily dose of Beclomethasone MDI 40 or 80 mcg/inh?
> 200-400mcg
What is a high daily dose of Beclomethasone MDI 40 or 80 mcg/inh?
> 400 mcg
What is a low daily dose of Budesonide DPI 90 or 180 mcg/inh?
200-400 mcg