Asthma/COPD Flashcards
objectives
Asthma Pathophys
- Smooth muscle dysfunction
- Airway inflammation
- Airway remodeling
- Fixed in a narrow position from collagen deposition
- Glands hypertrophied
Asthma pathophys: smooth muscle dysfxn
- exaggerated contraction
- increased smooth m. mass
- increased release of inflammatory mediators
- bronchoconstriction
- bronchial hyper-reactivity
- hyperplasia/hypertrophy
- inflmmatory mediator release
Asthma pathophys: Airway inflammation
- inflammatory cell infiltration/activation
- mucosal edema
- cellular proliferation
- epithelial damage
- basement membrane thickening
Asthma pathophys: Airway remodeling
- Cellular proliferation
- smooth m cells
- mucous glands
- inc matrix protein deposition
- basement membrane thickening
- angiogenesis
Asthma Phases
- acute response
- chronic/infammatory response
Asthma pathophys: acute response
- Bronchial hyperreacticity
- Mucosal edema
- Airway secretions
Asthma pathophys: chronic/inflammatory response
- Increase in inflammatory cell number
- LOTS of cells can release inflammatory medicators
- Steroids will control this
- Can lead to epithelial damage
Pathologic features associated with asthma
- Variable airflow obstruction
- Bronchoconstriction
- Edema
- Cough
- Airway hyperreactivity
- Airway inflammation (Eosinophils, mast cells, lymphocytes, neutrophils)
- Mucous hypersecretion
- Goblet cell metaplasia
- Submucosal gland hypertrophy
- Impaired mucous clearance
- Smooth muscle hypertrophy/hyperplasia
- Subepithelial matrix protein deposition
- Collagen deposition
asthma definition
- Inflammatory d/o of airways
- Reversible airflow obstruction
- Hyper-responsiveness
- Often viewed as atopic, allergic d/o with altered T cell function
- Best to view it as BOTH inflammatory AND smooth muscle d/o
- Variable severity and reversibility
- Tx should addres BOTH of these
- FH important!
asthma etiology
- Multifactorial
- Genetic
- FH of rhinitis, urticaria, eczema
- Viral infections
- Viral URI is the #1 cause of exacerbation = asthma attack
- Environmental
- Allergic: Pollen, molds, animal dander, dust mite
- Non-allergic: tobacco, chemicals, perfumes, cold, temp changes, pollution
- Others
- Drugs (BB and NSAID)
- GERD
- Rhinitis/sinusitis
- Food (rarely)
- Stress (more in adults)
- Genetic
other asthma facts
- Asthma is MC chronic childhood illness in US
- Increase in prevalence in 15 yrs by 58% overall
- 24million people have asthma (includes 7million children)
- Hospitalizations d/t asthma are preventable or avoidable with proper primary care
- Undertreatment and inappropriate therapy are the major contributors to asthma morbidity and mortality
- Underdiagnosed and treated, esp in children
- Over 500,000 hospitalizations/yr
- Over 6,000 deaths/yr
- Asthma is the third leading cause of preventable hospitalizations in US
- >100million days of decreased activity, 10million of lost school/ year
- 75% of those with asthma have persistent asthma and require daily controller med (far less receive these)
- Patients OVERESTIMATE the control of their asthma
- We need to tell them they should not be having symptoms
- Asthma mortality NOT directly related to severity
- d/t variability of asthma
- people with “mild” asthma may have SAME SEVERITY, just less often
asthma epidemiology
- 43% male; 57% female
- 67% at 18+; 33% 0-17 y/o
Ddx for children w/ asthma
- Allergic rhinitis and sinusitis
- Vocal cord dysfunction
- Vascular rings
- Laryngotracheomalacia
- Tumor or enlarged lymph nodes
- Viral bronchiolitis
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
- Aspiration due to gastroesophageal reflux
Ddx for adults w/ asthma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Congestive heart failure
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Mechanical obstruction (benign or malignant tumors)
- Pulmonary infiltration with eosinophilia
- Cough secondary to drugs (ACE inhibitors)
- Laryngeal dysfunction
Dx of asthma: important points
- Children with asthma are often mislabeled (bronchitis, bronchiolitis, croup, pneumonia) and may not get adequate therapy
- DX NOT NEEDED TO CONSIDER AND BEGIN TREATING ASTHMA SX!!
- Viral URI are MC precipitant of wheezing and cough in kids- do NOT preclude the dx of asthma= it is possible to have asthma and have it triggered by a viral illness!
- Recurrent episodes of cough and wheeze are almost always d/t asthma in both adults and kids
- Cough can be sole sx
asthma medical hx
- Episodic wheeze
- Chest tightness
- SOB
- Cough
- Sx worsen in presence of aeroallergens, irritants or exercise
- Sx occur or worsen at night, awakening pt
- Because you have a surge of cortisol in am naturally, then use it all day (little left at night)
- Pt has h/o allergic rhinitis or atopic dermatitis
- FH of asthma, allergy, sinusitis or rhinitis
4 stages of asthma
- Stage 1: Intermittent
- Stage 2: Mild Persistent
- Stage 3: Moderate Persistent
- Stage 4: Severe Persistent
4 stages of asthma–> Stage 1: Intermittent
- Symptoms less than a week
- Brief exacerbations
- Nocturnal symptoms not more than twice a month
- FEV1 or PEF ≥ 80% predicted
- PEF or FEV1 variability <20%
4 stages of asthma–> Stage 2: Mild Persistent
- Symptoms more than once a week- but less than once a day
- Exacerbations may effect activity and sleep
- Nocturnal symptoms more than twice a month
- FEV1 or PEF ≥ 80% predicted
- PEF or FEV1 variability 20-30%
4 stages of asthma–> Stage 3: Moderate Persistent
- Symptoms daily
- Exacerbations may affect activity and sleep
- Nocturnal symptoms more than once a week
- Daily use of short-acting beta-2 agonist
- FEV1 or PEF 60-80% predicted
- PEF or FEV1 variability >30%
4 stages of asthma–> Stage 4: Severe Persistent
- Symptoms daily
- Frequent exacerbations
- Frequent nocturnal asthma symptoms
- Limitation of physical activities
- FEV1 or PEF ≤60% predicted
- PEF or FEV1 variability >30%
asthma clinical sx
- Noisy/musical breath sounds
- Nocturnal awakenings
- Exertional dyspnea and “air hunder”
- Cough, SOB, wheeze
- Nasal flaring and grunting
- Suprasternal, intercostal and subcostal retractions
- Pallor, duskiness and cyanosis
Physical findings that increase probability of asthma
- Thoracic hyper-expansion on CXR
- Sounds of wheezing during normal breathing or a prolonged expiratory phase
- Increased nasal secretions, mucosal swelling, sinusitis, rhinitis or nasal polyps
- Atopic dermatitis, eczema
Therapeutic response that can strengthen dx of asthma
- Clinical improvement following bronchodilator and/or steroids
- So… when you don’t know but it sounds like asthma, give a bronchodilator and see if it helps sx
Making the Dx of asthma
- Recurrent sx
- Risk factors known
- Response to drug (bronchodilator or steroids)
- Other etiologies ruled out
goal of asthma tx
- Prevent chronic asthma sx and exacerbations in day and nigh
- Maintain normal activity; no limitations
- Have normal/near-normal lung fxn
- Prevent acute episodes
- Reduce ED visits and hospitalizations
- Have minimal SE on tx
- Enhanced adherance (simple meds)
Stepwise approach to managing asthma
- Gain control
- Maintain control
Gain control
- Preferred approach is to start therapy with more intensive program
- Suppresses airway inflammation and gain prompt control of reversible obstruction
- Ex: burst therapy steroids
- To do this, you need to define the severity of asthma
- Intervene with optimal medications
- Normalize activities, lung function and lifestyles
- Then try to “step down” tx to optimal levels
Maintain control
- f/u q 1-6 mos (usually q3-4)
- PFTs >=2x/yr
- “step down” long term control meds to achieve optimal control as safely and effectively as possible
- Keep it- Simple, Safe, Effective
Asthma tx
- No matter what ICS is ALWAYS in the treatment regime for persistent asthma
- Pts are candidates of Mainstay Therapy if the “RULES OF TWO” apply
- They are using a quick-relief inhaler >2x/wk
- They awaken d/t asthma >2x/month
- They refill their quick-relief inhaler Rx >2x/year
Where are the targets of asthma therapy?
current tx modalities of asthma
- Acute Tx or “Rescue” Therapies
- Chronic “controller” therapies