ASTHMA Flashcards
What is the next step if a patient with an asthma attack fails to improve after 1–2 hours of β2-agonist therapy?
A) Start intravenous corticosteroids
B) Intubate and start mechanical ventilation
C) Administer antibiotics
D) Discharge with increased inhaled corticosteroids
Answer:
A) Start intravenous corticosteroids
Rationale:
If a patient fails to respond to β2-agonist therapy within 1–2 hours, intravenous corticosteroids should be given to reduce airway inflammation and improve respiratory function. Intubation is reserved for severe respiratory failure, and antibiotics are only used if there is evidence of infection.
Which of the following is a sign of impending respiratory failure in a patient with an asthma attack?
A) Hypocapnia (low Pco2)
B) Normal or near-normal Pco2
C) PEFR >80% of predicted
D) Increased inspiratory capacity
Answer:
B) Normal or near-normal Pco2
Rationale:
Most patients with asthma exacerbations present with hypocapnia (low Pco2) due to increased respiratory rate. If Pco2 normalizes or rises, it suggests that the patient is fatiguing and may be progressing to respiratory failure, requiring urgent intervention.
Which treatment is considered to prevent the need for intubation in severe asthma exacerbations?
A) Noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation
B) High-dose antibiotics
C) High tidal volume mechanical ventilation
D) Beta-blockers
Answer:
A) Noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation
Rationale:
Noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NPPV) can be used in patients with severe asthma exacerbations who are experiencing respiratory exhaustion, helping to improve ventilation and prevent intubation. Antibiotics are only used if an infection is suspected, and high tidal volume ventilation is not recommended due to increased airway pressures.
What is the recommended mechanical ventilation strategy for a patient with status asthmaticus?
A) High respiratory rates to remove CO2 quickly
B) Low respiratory rates with permissive hypercapnia
C) High tidal volumes to improve oxygenation
D) Routine bronchoscopy to remove mucus plugs
Answer:
B) Low respiratory rates with permissive hypercapnia
Rationale:
In mechanically ventilated patients with status asthmaticus, a low respiratory rate and low tidal volume strategy is used to avoid high airway pressures. Permissive hypercapnia (allowing CO2 to rise) helps prevent barotrauma while maintaining adequate oxygenation.
What is a possible reason for exercise intolerance in asthma patients despite good overall control?
A) Poor inhaler technique
B) Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction
C) Excessive use of ICS
D) Overuse of antibiotics
Answer:
B) Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction
Rationale:
Even when asthma is well controlled, some patients experience exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), limiting their ability to exercise. This is managed with warming up, air conditioning in colder weather, and pre-treatment with a SABA.
What is the preferred medication for preventing exercise-induced bronchoconstriction before occasional exercise?
A) Long-acting beta agonist (LABA)
B) Short-acting beta agonist (SABA)
C) Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)
D) Oral corticosteroids (OCS)
Answer:
B) Short-acting beta agonist (SABA)
Rationale:
SABAs (e.g., albuterol) are the first-line choice for preventing exercise-induced bronchoconstriction when taken before exercise. While LABAs offer longer protection, their use alone is discouraged in asthma.
Which additional intervention may help protect against exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in cold weather?
A) Using a nasal decongestant
B) Wearing a mask to warm and humidify air
C) Increasing inhaled corticosteroid doses before exercise
D) Taking an antihistamine before exercise
Answer:
B) Wearing a mask to warm and humidify air
Rationale:
Cold air can trigger bronchoconstriction, and wearing a mask helps condition the air before it reaches the lungs, reducing airway irritation.
Which asthma medication has reassuring safety data for use during pregnancy?
A) Albuterol
B) PGF2-α
C) IL-5 inhibitors
D) Omalizumab
Answer:
A) Albuterol
Rationale:
Albuterol, along with beclomethasone, budesonide, and fluticasone, has extensive safety data in pregnancy. In contrast, PGF2-α should be avoided due to bronchoconstriction, and there is limited human data on IL-5 inhibitors and omalizumab.
What is the potential risk of chronic oral corticosteroid (OCS) use during pregnancy?
A) Increased fetal lung development
B) Reduced maternal blood pressure
C) Neonatal adrenal insufficiency and low birth weight
D) Decreased risk of preeclampsia
Answer:
C) Neonatal adrenal insufficiency and low birth weight
Rationale:
Chronic OCS use during pregnancy is associated with neonatal adrenal insufficiency, low birth weight, preeclampsia, and a slight increase in cleft palate risk. However, poor asthma control poses a greater risk to the fetus and mother than these side effects.
Which of the following should be avoided during pregnancy due to its bronchoconstrictive effects?
A) Montelukast
B) Ipratropium
C) PGF2-α
D) Salmeterol
Answer:
C) PGF2-α
Rationale:
Prostaglandin F2-α (PGF2-α) should be avoided in pregnancy because it is associated with bronchoconstriction and may worsen asthma symptoms.
What is a key characteristic of aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD)?
A) Late-onset asthma with type 2 inflammation and eosinophilia
B) Childhood-onset asthma that improves over time
C) Resistance to inhaled corticosteroids
D) Exclusively triggered by acetaminophen
Answer:
A) Late-onset asthma with type 2 inflammation and eosinophilia
Rationale:
AERD typically presents in adulthood with severe, difficult-to-control asthma, eosinophilia, sinusitis, and nasal polyposis. It is triggered by cyclooxygenase-1 inhibitors (e.g., aspirin, NSAIDs).
Which of the following medications should be avoided in patients with AERD?
A) Acetaminophen
B) Celecoxib
C) Ibuprofen
D) Montelukast
Answer:
C) Ibuprofen
Rationale:
Ibuprofen is an NSAID that inhibits cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and can trigger severe asthma exacerbations in AERD. Acetaminophen and COX-2 inhibitors (e.g., celecoxib) are generally tolerated, while montelukast is part of the recommended treatment.
What is the primary biochemical mechanism underlying AERD?
A) Excessive production of PGE2
B) Overproduction of leukotrienes due to COX-1 inhibition
C) Deficiency of eosinophils
D) Direct mast cell degranulation
Answer:
B) Overproduction of leukotrienes due to COX-1 inhibition
Rationale:
AERD occurs due to COX-1 inhibition, which reduces PGE2 levels and leads to overproduction of leukotrienes—potent inflammatory mediators that drive asthma exacerbations and nasal polyposis.
Which medication class is most commonly used to treat AERD?
A) Beta-blockers
B) Antihistamines
C) Leukotriene modifiers
D) Proton pump inhibitors
Answer:
C) Leukotriene modifiers
Rationale:
Since AERD is driven by leukotriene overproduction, leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs), such as montelukast and zileuton, are effective treatments.
Which biologic medication is emerging as a preferred treatment for AERD, potentially reducing the need for aspirin desensitization?
A) Omalizumab
B) Dupilumab
C) Salmeterol
D) Fluticasone
Answer:
B) Dupilumab
Rationale:
Dupilumab (anti–IL-4Rα) and IL-5 inhibitors are showing strong efficacy in AERD and are gradually replacing aspirin desensitization, except in patients who need chronic NSAID therapy.
Which of the following is the most common complaint among patients with asthma?
A) Hemoptysis
B) Chest pain at rest
C) Episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, and cough
D) Persistent fever
Answer:
C) Episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, and cough
Rationale:
Asthma is characterized by recurrent episodes of wheezing, dyspnea, chest tightness, mucus production, and cough, often triggered by allergens, cold air, or exercise. Fever and hemoptysis are not characteristic features.
Which feature distinguishes exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) from cardiac-related dyspnea?
A) Symptoms develop rapidly after exercise and resolve quickly
B) Symptoms develop slowly and resolve slowly unless treated
C) Symptoms always occur at rest
D) Symptoms are unaffected by β2-agonists
Answer:
B) Symptoms develop slowly and resolve slowly unless treated
Rationale:
EIB symptoms develop gradually after exercise begins and persist longer after stopping exercise, unlike cardiac dyspnea, which resolves quickly with rest. β2-agonists can relieve EIB symptoms.
What spirometry finding is most suggestive of asthma?
A) Decreased FEV1/FVC ratio with reversible airflow limitation
B) Increased total lung capacity and decreased diffusing capacity
C) Normal FEV1 and FVC with increased FEV1/FVC ratio
D) Fixed airway obstruction with no reversibility after bronchodilator use
Answer:
A) Decreased FEV1/FVC ratio with reversible airflow limitation
Rationale:
Asthma is characterized by obstructive airway disease with reduced FEV1/FVC ratio. A ≥12% increase in FEV1 (and ≥200 mL improvement) after bronchodilator use confirms reversibility, distinguishing it from COPD.
What is the most commonly used test to assess airway hyperresponsiveness in suspected asthma cases with normal spirometry?
A) Hypertonic saline challenge
B) Methacholine challenge test
C) Bronchoscopy with lavage
D) Lung biopsy
Answer:
B) Methacholine challenge test
Rationale:
Methacholine challenge testing assesses airway hyperresponsiveness, a hallmark of asthma. A ≥20% drop in FEV1 at a methacholine dose ≤400 μg is diagnostic. Other tests like hypertonic saline challenge are less commonly used.
What defines a positive bronchodilator response in spirometry testing for asthma?
A) ≥12% increase in FEV1 and absolute increase of ≥200 mL after β2-agonist use
B) Decrease in FEV1 after bronchodilator administration
C) A fixed FEV1/FVC ratio below 0.7
D) Increase in total lung capacity after bronchodilator use
Answer:
A) ≥12% increase in FEV1 and absolute increase of ≥200 mL after β2-agonist use
Rationale:
A reversible increase in FEV1 ≥12% and ≥200 mL after bronchodilator administration confirms asthma. A fixed obstruction suggests COPD.
What eosinophil count is typically associated with asthma in patients not treated with oral or high-dose ICS?
A) ≥150 cells/μL
B) ≥300 cells/μL
C) ≥500 cells/μL
D) ≥1000 cells/μL
Answer:
B) ≥300 cells/μL
Rationale:
Eosinophil counts ≥300 cells/μL are common in asthma patients not on systemic corticosteroids and correlate with disease severity. Extremely high eosinophil levels may indicate eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis or primary eosinophilic disorders.
What is the primary clinical utility of measuring fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) in asthma patients?
A) Differentiating between COPD and asthma
B) Detecting bacterial lung infections
C) Assessing eosinophilic inflammation and corticosteroid adherence
D) Measuring lung volume changes
Answer:
C) Assessing eosinophilic inflammation and corticosteroid adherence
Rationale:
FeNO is a marker of eosinophilic inflammation and is suppressed by ICS therapy. Elevated FeNO in a patient on moderate- to high-dose ICS suggests poor adherence or persistent type 2 inflammation.
What FeNO level in an untreated asthma patient is indicative of eosinophilic inflammation?
A) >10 ppb
B) >20–25 ppb
C) >35–40 ppb
D) >60 ppb
Answer:
C) >35–40 ppb
Rationale:
In untreated patients, FeNO levels above 35–40 ppb suggest eosinophilic airway inflammation. In patients on ICS therapy, FeNO >20–25 ppb may indicate poor adherence or persistent type 2 inflammation.
According to the GINA guidelines, what is the preferred treatment for a patient with infrequent asthma symptoms (e.g., 1–2 days per week or less)?
A) Regular daily low-dose ICS plus SABA as needed
B) Low-dose ICS-formoterol taken as needed
C) Medium-dose ICS-formoterol maintenance therapy
D) Low-dose ICS-LABA taken daily
Answer: B) Low-dose ICS-formoterol taken as needed
Rationale: The preferred treatment for patients with infrequent asthma symptoms is as-needed low-dose ICS-formoterol (GINA Track 1). This approach reduces the risk of exacerbations compared to using only a SABA, which is part of the alternative approach (Track 2).