L09: Asthma Flashcards
What is asthma
A chronic inflammatory disorder characterised by bronchial hypersensitivity to a variety of stimuli and leads to airway obstruction
What is the pathophysiology of asthma
Inflammation that causes smooth muscle contraction, thickening of the airway wall, oedema, basement membrane thicekning and mucus in the airway
What inflammatory cells infiltrate in asthma
Cd4 t cell
What are the 2 types of triggers in asthma
Inducers
Provokes
What are inducers
Dust Animla fur Mould Aerosal such as perfumes Bacterial infection
What are provokers
Cold
Stress
What are of asthma
Cough
Shortness of breath
Wheeze
Chest tightness
What clinical signs can you find in examination of asthma
Wheeze
Hyperinflated chest
No wheeze and silent chest- life threatening
What investigations can be carried out for athma
Chest x-ray
FBC
Peak flow
Spirometry
What can a peakflow show in astham
Diurinal variation- more thn 20% diurinal variation on 3 days per week overal several weeks or increase in peak flow with asthma treatment
What can a spirometry show in asthma
FEV1 increases more than 15% after single dose of short acting beta agonist
What approach do we use in asthma
Stepwise approach
What does the stepwise approach involve
- short acting beta agonist e.g salbutamol (reliever)
Add on therapy: - Add Low dose corticosteroid e.g beclometasone (regular preventer)
- Add leukotriene receptor antagonist e.g montelukast
- Add Long acting beta agonist e.g salmeterol
- Change low dose ICS and LABA to MART (ICS + fast acting LABA)
- Increase does of inhaled corticosteroid to medium dose 6. Increase dose of inhaled corticosteroid to high dose
- Specilaist therapy: Long acting muscarinic antagonist e.g tiotropium, oral steroids e.g prednisolone and monoclonal antibodies e,g omalizumab
What are the types of acute severe asthma
Moderate
Severe
Life threatening
What is moderate acute asthma
Increasing symptoms
PEFR 50-75%