Asthma Education Test Flashcards
-Asthma Education
-Definition, a serious chronic disease affecting the airways. A condition in which a person’s airway becomes swollen, inflamed, narrowed while producing extra mucus making it difficult to breathe and reducing airflow in and out of the lungs. Making asthma an obstructive disease
-2 Categories, intrinsic (non allergic) and extrinsic (allergic) -Exacerbation/ Flares caused by triggering, smoke, dust, mites, mold, cold air, exercise..etc
-Nationwide
-Females 9.3% more likely after puberty
-What to Teach
-Disease- Anatomy and physiology for non professional
-What happens- Airway narrowing, inflammation, recognition of symptoms and early intervention -Causes (Triggers) different for everybody, allergies, avoidance strategies, definition of well-controlled
-What to Teach
-Types of medication, control vs. rescue meds and proper administration
-Written action Plan, diary, to focus on “triggers” daily monitoring of peak flow, what to do if, X,Y,Z happens -Identify and address concerns
-Control of Triggers
-Dust Mites
-Encase mattress in special dust mite free cover
-Encase pillows in special dust mite free cover or wash every week in hot water or cool water/ bleach -Reduce indoor humidity to <60% -Do not sleep on cloth covered cushions or furniture -Reduce carpets from bedroom and form concrete floors(hardwood or tile is better) -Stuffed toys -Keep off of bed -Place in freezer for a minimum of 8 hours or dryer for 10 minutes
-Correct use of MDI
-Shaking the inhaler
-Use of spacer/ holding chamber -Only active inhaler once for each inspiration -Hold breath as you count to 10 slowly -Wait one to two minutes between puffs -clean inhaler/ spacer as needed -Know when to replace
-Medications
-Long term control meds
-Reduce inflammation
-Must be taken daily -Do not expect quick relief -Inhaled corticosteroids, cromolyn sodium, antileukotrienes, some LABAs with ICS -Examples, cromolyn sodium, singular, Accolate, flovent
-Medications
-Quick relief
-Short acting beta 2 agonists
-Relax muscles around airways -Provides prompt relief of symptoms -If use daily indicates need to starting or increasing long term control meds -Examples, albuterol, Xopenex
-Classification of Severity
-Based on these components
-Symptoms -Nighttime awakenings -Rescue medications use -Interference with normal activities
Classification of severity (adult)
-Intermittent
-Symptoms < 2 days a week
-Nighttime awakenings less than 2 times a week -Rescue med use less than 2 times a week -No interference with normal activities
Classification of severity (adult)
Mild
-Symptoms > 2 days a week but not daily
-Nighttime awakenings more than 2 times a week -Rescue med use more than 2 times a week but not daily -monor interference with normal activities
Classification of severity (adult)
-Moderate persistent
-Symptoms daily
-Nighttime awakenings > 1 time per week but not nightly -Rescue meds use daily -Some limitations of normal activities
Classification of severity (adult)
-Severe Persistent
-Symptoms throughout the day
-Nighttime awakenings almost nightly often -Rescue med use several times/ day -Extreme interference with normal activities
-Definition of asthma control
-Daytime symptoms < equal to 2 days per week and <1 time a dsy
-< 2 nighttime awakenings a month due to asthma -Able to engage in normal activities -Use of rescue meds < equal to 2 days a week
-Daily monitoring -Peak flow Meters
-Device that measures how well air moves out of the lungs
-Results may indicate decreased flows before patient shows symptoms -Used to check asthma the same way as BP cuffs are used to check Hypertension -Any patient older than 5 years can usually use
