Asthma and COPD Flashcards
What is asthma?
Reversible small airway obstruction
Who can asthma affect?
All ages, All genders
What are the 2 types of asthma?
Inflammatory
Allergic
Can asthma be life threatening?
Yes, significant cause of death in young people
What are the symptoms of asthma?
Wheezing
Breathlessness
Cough
When someone has asthma what can cause their breathlessness?
Exercise
Cold
Emotion
When someone has asthma what can trigger their cough?
Exercise
Cold
How would a person with asthma be assessed?
Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR)
How does PEFR work?
Plotted by sex, age and height
Classically poorer result in morning should be done later
What may cause asthma?
Allergens
Irritants
Excretion
NSAIDS
Emotion
What are the signs on asthma getting worse?
Restricted activity
Worsening of symptoms
Frequent use of inhaler (SABA)
Low PEFR score
How is moderate acute asthma measured?
PEFR - 50-75%
How is acute severe asthma measured?
PEFR 33-50%
How is life threatening asthma measured?
PEFR <33%
In a medical emergency someone has moderate active asthma. What do you do?
Give salbutamol + reassess
Someone has PEFR score of 33-50%.
Their respiratory rate is >25/min.
Their heart rate is >110/min
They cannot complete a sentence
What type of asthma is this and what do you do?
Acute severe asthma
Phone 999
Give salbutamol
Give Oxygen
Someone has a PEFR score of <33%
Their sPo2 level is <92%
Their PaO2 score is <8 kPa
What type of asthma is this and what do you do?
Life threatening asthma
Phone 999
Give salbutamol
Give oxygen
What is SpO2?
Oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximeter
What is PaO2?
Partial arterial pressure of oxygen
What is KpA?
Kilopascals
what is PaCO2?
Partial arterial pressure of carbon dioxide
In a medical emergency of asthma in the dental setting what do you do?
ABCDE approach
Salbutamol - 2 - 10 puffs with spacer
Phone 999
High flow oxygen
Repeat salbutamol every 10 minutes
Oral side effects of inhaled therapy
Candidiasis
Altered taste
Dry mouth
What is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease? (COPD)
Airway obstruction that is not reversible and progressive over time
What causes COPD
Smoking
Air pollution (sometimes)
How is COPD diagnosed?
History
Exam
Spirometer
What are the symptoms of COPD?
Breathlessness
Wheeze - constant
Chronic cough
Frequent infections
What is SABA?
Short acting beta - agonist
What is LABA?
long acting beta - agonist
What is LAMA?
long acting muscarinic antagonist
What is ICS?
Inhaled corticosteroids
Common SABA medicines?
Salbutamol
Terbutaline
Common LABA medicines?
Formoteral
Salmeterol
Vilanterol
Common LAMA medicines?
Tioteopium
Glycopyrronium
Aclidinium
Common ICS medicines
Beclomethasone
Futicasone
Some people with COPD will have home oxygen - how does this work?
Via nasal cannulae
Can use face mask (very drying to oral tissues)
Cylinder canister
Medical emergency for COPD?
ABCDE approach
Sit the patient up
Salbutamol - 2 puffs via spaced
Oxygen delivery
What should oxygen stats be?
88-92%
How is COPD different to asthma?
Symptoms under age 35
Asthma - common
COPD - uncommon
Night time waking due to cough or wheeze
Asthma - common
COPD - uncommon
