Asthma, Bronchiolitis and RSV Flashcards
1
Q
What is asthma?
A
chronic inflammation of the airway with recurrent episodes of exacerbation characterized by bronchospasm, increased mucus secretion and increased swelling
2
Q
What are complications of asthma?
A
- status asthmaticus
- respiratory failure
- pneumonia
- atelectasis
- hypoxemia
3
Q
How is asthma managed?
A
- avoid triggers
- give oxygen
- fluids (lost during hyperventilation)
- education: use of peak flow monitoring (green, yellow, red) to predict exacerbations, how to use a metered dose inhaler
4
Q
What is bronchiolitis?
A
inflammation of bronchioles
5
Q
What causes bronchiolitis?
A
most often caused by RSV (respiratory synctial virus)
6
Q
Who often gets bronchiolitis?
A
often occurs in kids under 2 years
7
Q
What symptoms of dyspnea might you notice in an infant?
A
- poor feeding
- nasal flaring
- grunting
8
Q
How is the respiratory system of an infant different from an adult’s?
A
- big tongue
- nose breathers
- belly breathers
- narrower airway
9
Q
What medications are used to treat asthma?
A
long-acting medications
- inhaled corticosteroids
- long-acting beta adrenergic agonists
- methylxanthines
- leukotriene modifiers
short:
- short-acting beta adrenergic agonists
- anticholinergics
