Asthma Treatments

Question 1

What are symptoms of asthma?

Answer 1

Wheezing
Shortness of breAth
Tightness of chest
Worse at night

Question 2

What are the risk factors for asthma?

Answer 2

Food allergies
Family history
Early exposure to smoke
Child hood - adult
Occupational

Question 3

What are the triggers for asthma?

Answer 3

Exposure to allergen
Cold air exercise
Pollutants
Emotion
Drugs ( aspirin b blockers)

Question 4

What are the long term aims of asthma therapy?

Answer 4

Abolish symptoms
Maintain optimal lung function
Prevent death from acute attack
Avoid side effects

Question 5

What are the two types of asthma treatments?

Name some egs?

Answer 5

Relievers ( bronchioles dilators)
Salbutamol 
Salmeterol 
Ipratropium
Theophylline
Preventers anti inflammatory 
Beclometasone 
Montelukst
Sodium cromoglicate

Question 6

Relievers act on which receptors?

Answer 6

A2 b2

Question 7

Salbutamol has a similar structure to which nt ?

What will this cause?

Answer 7

Adrenaline

It’s a b2 selective agonist causes smooth muscle relaxation

Question 8

What are the side effects of relievers?

Answer 8

Tremor
Increased HR ( if dose high enough will bind to b1 receptors which will increase HR)
Nervous tension headache
Hypocalcaemia

Question 9

What are the different methods of taking relievers drugs?

Answer 9

Inhaler metered dose - coordinator is an issue

Spacer - spray drug into device and then breath in

Question 10

Why are steroids used in the prevention or treatment of asthma?

Answer 10

It reduces inflammation which reduces mucus secretion, oedema, damaged airways

Question 11

Glucocorticoid are given to prevent asthma attacks for eg beclometasone how long after starting treatment will symptoms improve ?

Answer 11

3-7 days

Question 12

What is the advantage of using combination inhalers?

Give an eg ?

Answer 12

It does both maintenance and relief and it means don’t need to carry 2
Eg symbicort

Question 13

Explain the mechanism of steroids?

Answer 13

The bind with receptors
Then combine with another complex
Then crosses nucleus membrane 
Steroid then either switches on gene
Which increases mRNA
Increases protein production or the opposite

Question 14

What are the unwanted effects of steroids?

Answer 14

Oral thrush or infection to vocal cords

Question 15

What is the treatment for acute asthma attacks

Answer 15

Oral steroids, prednisolone

, short high dose for 7 days

Question 16

What are the side effects of steroids

Answer 16

Buffalo hump 
Moon face 
Hypertension 
^ abdomenal fat 
Poor wound healing 
Stunted growth

Question 17

What is the danger or stopping steroid treatment quickly

Answer 17

Body can’t produce corticosteroid naturally due to high amounts already in blood this causes neg feedback of natural corticosteroid

Question 18

What is the side effects of antimuscarinic bronchodilators?

Answer 18

Dry mouth, short acting

Question 19

What does cromones do ?

Answer 19

Inhibit the chemical release from mast cells to prevent a bronchospasm, used for allergies and excersise

Question 20

What treatment can be used for under 5’s for asthma

Answer 20

Leukotriene receptors antagonists eg montelukast and zafirlukast- block receptors and prevent inflammation

Question 21

Which treatment for asthma can cause high HR, platatations and headache and only has a narrow therapeutic window

Answer 21

Theophylline, oral or IV in server- blocks an enzyme in airways causes muscles to relax

Question 22

What does Omalizumab do for asthma sufferers

Answer 22

Monocolonical antibody which reduces effects of allergen, may cause brushing and pain on injection

Question 23

What is the 5 stages of asthma treatment ?

Answer 23

1. Inhaled short acting B2 agonist
2. Inhaled steroids
3. Inhaled long lasting B2+ increased dose of inhaled steroids
4. Short and long acting B2 + inhaled steroids + another drug
5. Continuous use of oral steroids

Question 24

What is asthma?

Answer 24

It is a condition which is assoc with airway hyper responsiveness, reversible airway limitation, bronchial inflammation.