Asthma and COPD Flashcards
What is a respiratory disease characterized by recurrent REVERSIBLE obstruction to air flow in the bronchiolar airways?
Asthma
What are the sx of asthma?
Chest tightness, wheeze and cough, together with bronchial hyperresponsiveness
What is the most chronic disease in children?
Asthma
What are considered host factors for asthma?
Innate immunity
Genetics
Sex
Is asthma more prevalent in males or females?
Early life is more prevalent in males then at puberty becomes more prevalent in females.
What are the environmental risk factors of asthma?
Allergens Respiratory infections Tobacco smoke Air pollution Occupations Diet
What is the pathophysiology of asthma?
Airflow obstruction Bronchospasm, edema Bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) Airways inflammation Chronic inflammation may lead to airway remodeling
What causes recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing?
Inflammation
What causes the causes an increase in BHR to a variety of stimli?
Inflammation
Episodes have ___________ that reverses either spontaneously or with treatment (pertaining to asthma)?
Air flow obstruction
What are the two phases of asthmatic attacks?
Immediate-phase response
Late-phase response
What is involved in the immediate-phase response?
Occurs on exposure to eliciting stimulus
Consists mainly of bronchospasm.
Bronchodilators are effective in this early phase
What is involved in the late-phase response?
Several hours later
Consists of bronchospasm, vasodilatation, edema and mucous secretion
Caused by inflammatory mediators and neuropeptides released from axon reflexes
Anti-inflammatory drug action needed for prevention and treatment.
What is the clinical presentation of asthma?
Diverse clinical presentation- episodes of dyspnea/wheezing, tightness in the chest
Chronic daily sx to only intermittent sx
Intervals b/w sx can be weeks, months, or years
Characterized by recurrent exacerbation and remissions
What are the environmental triggers of asthma?
Allergens: dust mites, pet dander, cockroaches, pollens, molds, viral URIs
Non-allergic triggers: smoke, acid reflux, weather changes (cold air), exercise, occurs at night, occupational irritants/chemical irritants, drugs
What are the co-morbid conditions that are triggers of asthma?
Allergic rinitis
Sinisitis
GERD
depression
What are the drugs that are triggers of asthma?
Cardioselective and non-selective Beta Blockers, Calcium antagonists, Dipyridamole, NSAID’s
What is acute asthma?
Asthma of sudden onset
Status asthmaticus
Life-threatening acute deterioration of stable asthma
(potentially a fatal ER visit with probable admission)
What are the sx of an acute or subactue onset of progressively worsening asthma?
Shortness of breath, cough, wheezing, and chest tightness
Can be combination of symptoms
Decreases in expiratory airflow
Quantified by measurements of lung function
–Peak expiratory flow (PEF)- measure how well they are breathing out.
–Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)
–More reliably indicate severity than symptoms
–Poorly responsive to usual bronchodilator therapy
What is involved in the pathologic process for asthma exacerbation that occurs in 80-90% of patients?
Onset- may progress over many hours or days or even weeks before functional deterioration is reached
Progressive inflammatory process
WBCs in the airways (eosinophils)
What is involved in the pathologic process for asthma exacerbation that occurs in 10% of patients?
Onset- Sudden, less than 6 hours, Hyperacute or rapid onset attack
Pathologic process- Smooth muscle spasm
WBCs in the airways (Neutrophils)
For a diagnosis of asthma what do you need to determine?
Episodic symptoms of airflow obstruction or BHR are present
Airflow obstruction is at least partially reversible
Alternative diagnoses are excluded
What are the methods for establishing diagnosis of asthma?
Detailed medical history
Physical exam
Spirometry to demonstrate reversibility
What should be on the ddx for wheezing?
Differential Diagnosis Allergic rhinitis/sinusitis Foreign body Laryngotracheomalacia Cystic fibrosis Bronchopulmonary dysplasia Heart disease COPD Medications