Asthma, CAP, COPD [completed] Flashcards
How is asthma diagnosed?
What are some tools that can be used to check if asthma treatment is working?
RCP 3 questions
Asthma control questionnaire
Asthma control test or children’s asthma control test
Mini asthma QoL questionnaire or paediatric asthma QoL questionnaire
Peak flow diary
What are the 3 RCP questions?
- In the last month/week have you had difficulty sleeping due to your asthma (including cough symptoms)?
- Have you had your usual asthma symptoms (e.g. cough, wheeze, chest tightness, shortness of breath) during the day?
- Has your asthma interfered with your usual daily activities (e.g. school, work, housework)?
What does a YES to ANY of the RCP 3 questions mean?
Asthma has not been controlled.
What is the aim of the asthma control test?
Finding out:
- effect on daily routine
- how often symptoms occur?
- when do symptoms occur (night or early morning)
- how often is blue reliever inhaler needed?
What time frame does the asthma control test assess?
Last 4 weeks
What needs to be considered when doing the Asthma control test?
If patient has had an infection or exposure to a trigger in the last 4 weeks.
What does a score LESS than 20 mean in the Asthma Control Test?
Asthma may not have been controlled.
Outline the BTS/SIGN Guidelines (2019) for asthma treatment in ADULTS.
- Regular preventer (LOW DOSE ICS) and reliever (SABA) to be used when required
- Add on LABA - this may be as a fixed dose inhaler or MART (if MART - remove reliever inhaler)
- Consider increasing ICS to MEDIUM dose or adding a LTRA (such as montelukast). Remove LABA if there has been no response
- Specialist therapies such as IgE inhibitors - requires referral to specialist.
How will a clinician know when a patient should be moved up or down on the BTS/SIGN treatment guidelines?
- Monitoring sympotms
- Look at peak flow
- checking inhaler technique and adherence.
What is MART?
Maintenance and Reliever Therapy - a single combination inhaler of an ICS and a FAST ACTING, LONG ACTING beta agonist such as formoterol.
What is the only inhaler licensed for MART regimens that contains beclomethasone and formoterol?
Fostair 100/6 (NOT THE NEXTHALER)
What are the only inhalers licensed for MART regimens that contain budesonide and formoterol?
Duoresp Spiromax 160/4.5
Fobumix Easyhaler 160/4.5 and 80/4.5
Symbicort Turbohaler 100/6 and 200/6
Outline the BTS/SIGN Guidelines (2019) for asthma treatment in CHILDREN.
COME BACK TO THIS ONE LATER
- Regular preventer (VERY LOW DOSE ICS) and reliever (SABA) to be used when required. OR if child is UNDER 5 use a LTRA.
- Add on LABA or LTRA in children over 5 or add LTRA in children under 5.
- Increase ICS to low dose or add on LABA or LTRA in children over 5. Consider stopping LABA if there is no response.
- Specialist therapies - requires referral to specialist.
What is the main difference between the drug choices in the BTS/SIGN guidelines and the NICE guidelines?
NICE - LTRA offered before LABA.
BTS/SIGN - LABA offered before LTRA
What is the aim of an Asthma Action Plan?
Patient knows what to do to manage symptoms and exacerbations depending on severity.
Who does the NICE 2017 guidelines consider to be an adult?
Anyone over 17 years old.
Who does the BTS/SIGN 2019 guidelines consider to be an adult?
Anyone over 12 years old.
What are the doses of corticosteroids according to NICE guidelines?
low. moderate, high
What are the doses of corticosteroids according to BTS/SIGN guidelines?
low, medium, high
What is an asthma exacerbation?
An acute or subacute episode of a progressive worsening of asthma symptoms including shortness of breath, wheezing, cough and chest tightness.
Decrease in peak expiratory flow rate and FEV1
What are the levels of severity of asthma exacerbations according to BTS/SIGN guidelines?
Moderate
Severe acute
Life-threatening
What should healthcare professionals be aware of in patients with severe asthma?
If patient has severe asthma and one or more adverse psychosocial factors they are at risk of death.
What are some signs of a moderate asthma exacerbation?
Increasing symptoms
PEF > 50-75% best or predicted
NO features of acute severe asthma
What are some signs of an acute severe asthma exacerbation?
PEF 33-50% best or predicted
respiratory rate ≥ 25/min
heart rate ≥ 110 bpm
inability to COMPLETE SENTENCES IN ONE BREATH
What are signs of a life-threatening asthma exacerbation?
In a patient with severe asthma:
PEF < 33% best or predicted
SPO2 < 92%
PaO2 < 8kPa
NORMAL PaCO2
Silent chest
Cyanosis (turning blue)
Poor respiratory effort
Arrythmia
Exhaustion
Altered consciousness
Hypertension
What are signs of a near fatal asthma exacerbation?
Raised PaCO2
Requiring mechanical ventilation with raised inflation pressures
Outline management of acute severe asthma.
People aged 5 years and over should receive ORAL OR INTRAVENOUS STEROIDS within ONE HOUR of presentation.
Delivery of salbutamol via nebuliser
VERY REGULAR MONITORING - symptoms, potassium level as b2 agonists can cause HYPOkalaemia.
What is CAP (Community Acquired Pneumonia)?
Infection of the lung tissue when the air sacs become filled with microorganisms, fluid and inflammatory cells affecting lung function.
It is acquired OUTSIDE OF HOSPITAL.
What type of infection is CAP usually caused by?
Bacterial infection - exact causative organism often not identified.
What are the symptoms of CAP?
Cough
Dyspnoea
Pleural pain (chest)
Fever - high temp., sweating, shivers
Aches and pains
When is pneumonia more likely to be of bacterial origin rather than COVID?
Patient becomes rapidly unwell after only a few days
No history of typical covid symptoms
Pleuritic pain
Purulent sputum
What is the CURB-65 score used for?
Determine the severity of community acquired pneumonia.
What does CURB-65 stand for?
1 point given for:
Confusion
Urea > 7 mmol/L
Respiratory rate > 30/min
Blood Pressure (SBP<90 or DBP ≤ 60)
65 years old
What does a CURB-65 score of 0-1 mean?
Low severity:
Can be sent home with antibiotics OR
stay in hospital and given antibiotics if there are comorbidities, socials reasons etc.
What does a CURB-65 score of 2 mean?
Moderate severity:
Stay in hospital and given antibiotics
Supportive care
Microbiological investigations
What does a CURB-65 score of 3-5 mean?
High severity:
Stay in hospital and given antibiotics
Supportive care
Microbiological investigations
Urgent senior review
May need to go to critical care unit if score is 4-5
What is the treatment for low severity CAP?
Amoxicillin 500mg THREE TIMES A DAY for 5-7 days but can be up too 10 DAYS.
If penicillin allergic or not clinically appropriate - doxycycline, clarithromycin or erythromycin (PREGNANCY)
What is the treatment for moderate severity CAP?
Amoxicillin 500mg - 1g THREE TIMES A DAY orally AND clarithromycin 500mg TWICE A DAY ORALLY or erythromycin (pregnancy)
In penicillin allergy - doxycline
What is the treatment for high severity CAP?
Co-amoxiclav 1.2g THREE times a day INTRAVENOUSLY AND CLARITHROMYCIN 500mg TWICE daily INTRAVENOUSLY.
What is sepsis?
A life threatening reaction to an infection when the immune system overreacts to an infection and starts to damage body tissue and organs.
Who is at an increased risk of sepsis
People aged under 1 year or over 75 years
Diabetic patients
Patients with a weakened immune system/taking immunosupressants
Recent surgery or illness
Women who have just given birth or had a miscarriage or abortion.
When should sepsis be suspected?
Non specific non localised presentations such as feeling very unwell
MAY NOT have a high temperature
Changes in usual behaviour
What is the NEWS-2 score used to identify?
Clinical deterioration in a patient and most suitable response
What is the response to a NEWS SCORE of 0-4?
Ward-based
What is the response to a NEWS SCORE of 3 in an INDIVIDUAL PARAMETER?
Urgent ward based response - e..g. GP referral/ walk in centre
What is the response to a NEWS SCORE of 5-6?
Urgent response - A&E?
What is the response to a NEWS SCORE of 7+?
Urgent or emergency response - e.g. calling an ambulance
Why do patients need to be advised to rinse their mouth after using an ICS?
Risk of oral thrush
What is important when prescribing beclomethasone?
Needs to be prescribed by brand