Asthma, COPD Flashcards
What are the main categories of asthma severity?
Asthma severity is categorized into four levels: intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent, and severe persistent, each with increasing frequency and intensity of symptoms.
What is the purpose of a skin test in asthma diagnosis?
A skin test helps identify allergens that trigger extrinsic (allergic) asthma by testing for reactions to common environmental allergens like pollen, dust mites, or animal dander.
What findings in spirometry are indicative of asthma?
Spirometry in asthma often shows an obstructive pattern, with decreased FEV1/FVC ratio, indicating airflow limitation. This is associated with increased air trapping and difficulty exhaling completely.
How is asthma defined in medical terms?
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways characterized by bronchial hyperreactivity, which leads to episodic airway narrowing, increased mucus production, and reversible airflow obstruction.
What distinguishes extrinsic asthma from intrinsic asthma?
Extrinsic asthma is triggered by allergic reactions (type I hypersensitivity) to environmental antigens, whereas intrinsic asthma is non-allergic and triggered by factors like exercise, cold air, or stress.
What is the immunologic mechanism underlying extrinsic asthma?
In extrinsic asthma, allergens cause a type I hypersensitivity reaction, triggering IgE-mediated mast cell degranulation and release of mediators like histamine, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins, leading to airway inflammation and bronchoconstriction.
What are the classic symptoms of asthma?
Asthma symptoms include recurrent episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing, which may vary in intensity and often worsen at night or early morning.
How does respiratory alkalosis occur in asthma patients?
In the early stages of an asthma attack, patients may hyperventilate due to difficulty breathing, leading to respiratory alkalosis (high blood pH) from excessive CO2 exhalation.
What is Samter’s Triad in asthma?
Samter’s Triad refers to a condition in some asthma patients that includes asthma, nasal polyps, and sensitivity to aspirin or other NSAIDs, often resulting in severe asthma attacks.
What is status asthmaticus, and how is it managed?
Status asthmaticus is a severe, prolonged asthma attack that doesn’t respond to initial treatments. It can lead to critical hypoxemia, requiring immediate treatment with high-dose bronchodilators, corticosteroids, and sometimes epinephrine.
What is the first-line treatment for acute asthma symptoms?
Short-acting beta-agonists (SABAs) like albuterol are used as the first-line treatment for rapid relief during asthma attacks as they quickly relax bronchial muscles and open the airways.
Why do asthma symptoms often worsen at night?
Nocturnal asthma is thought to worsen due to hormonal variations (like decreased cortisol levels) and increased exposure to allergens or airway cooling during sleep, contributing to airway narrowing.
What condition is sometimes referred to as ‘cardiac asthma’?
Cardiac asthma occurs in patients with left-sided heart failure, leading to pulmonary edema. Symptoms mimic asthma, including shortness of breath and wheezing, due to fluid backup in the lungs.
How is exercise-induced asthma managed?
Pre-exercise inhalation of a bronchodilator (such as albuterol) can help prevent bronchospasm, while avoiding exercise in cold or dry environments may reduce symptoms.
What auscultation findings are typical in asthma?
Asthma patients may exhibit diminished vesicular breath sounds and expiratory wheezing due to inflamed and constricted airways, especially in the segmental bronchi and smaller airways.
