LUNGS- Respiratory medicines

Question 1

What drugs can impair ventillation?

Answer 1

• Respiratory depressants e.g. opiods (switch off your respiratory drive)
• Beta blockers

Question 2

What drugs can open up the airways?

Answer 2

• Bronchiodilators- open up the tube diameter
  e. g. Beta 2 agonists
  e. g. Anti-cholinergics
• Anti-inflamatory - reverse the inflamation effects.
  e. g. corticosteroids.

Question 3

What drugs are used for the prevention of airway narrowing?

Answer 3

Drugs that prevent mast cell degranulation:

• Chromoglycate
• leukotriene receptor antagonists

Question 4

What drugs are used to improve gas exchanage?

Answer 4

• Respiratory stimulants e.g. Theophyllines
• Oxygen

Question 5

Compare the different types of inhalers?

Answer 5

We have MDI inhalers, spinhalers and turbohalers.

MDI (Meter Dose Inhalers) release the drug at a high speed, this means less of the drug ends up in the lungs (most stays in the mouth)

Spinhalers and turbohalers release the drug more slowly, this makes it easier for the drug to follow the path to the lungs (more drug ends up in the lungs)

Question 6

What is a nebulizer?

Answer 6

A device used to aid drug delivery for young children who are unable to use an inhaler.

It bubbles gas through a liquid version of the drug.

Question 7

What is a blue inhaler?

Answer 7

This is a short action inhaler that contains Beta 2 adrengeric agonists.

e.g. salbutamol or Terbutaline.

Question 8

What is a green inhaler?

Answer 8

This is a long action inhaler that contains beta adrengeric 2 agonists.

e.g. Salmeterol.

Question 9

Compare blue and green inhalers.

Answer 9

Blue inhalers are short action so are used to treat acute bronchial constriction.

These begin to work within 2-3 minutes.

They last for 4-6 hours

Green inhalers are long action, so are used to prevent acute bronchial constriction.

These begin to work within 1-2 hours.

They last 12-15 hours

Question 10

What is a grey inhaler?

Answer 10

This is an inhaler that contains anti-cholingerics e.g

ipratropium.

Question 11

What does the grey inhaler do?

Answer 11

The anti-cholingeric

• inhibits muscarinic nerve transmission in autonomic nerves
• dilates the bronchi
• reduces mucous secretion.
• reduces basal tone

Question 12

What is a brown inhaler?

Answer 12

This is a corticosteroid inhaler which contains Budesonide

Question 13

What is an orange inhaler?

Answer 13

This is a corticosteroid inhaler which contains Fluticosone

Question 14

What is a pink inhaler?

Answer 14

This is a corticosteroid inhaler which contains Mometasone.

Question 15

What is a purple inhaler?

Answer 15

This is a compound inhaler which contains a long term beta 2 agonist and a corticosteroid.

This is made to ensure patients take the corticosteroid with the beta 2 in order to prevent the increased heart disease risk. (some patients cannot be relied on to take both)

Seretide = Fluticasone and Salmeterol.

Question 16

Compare orange pink and brown inhalers

Answer 16

These are all corticosteroid inhalers which reduce inflamation in the bronchial walls.

The pink inhaler contains a stronger corticosteroid than the orange, which is stronger than the brown.

PINK > ORANGE > BROWN.

Question 17

Discuss oxygen as a drug

Answer 17

Oxygen is a drug if it is at a greater concentration than is found in the air.

We use oxygen to increase the oxygen concentration gradient to get more oxygen into the blood.

Question 18

How do short action beta- adrengeric agonsists treat acute bronchial constriction?

Answer 18

They reduce bronchial constriction

Reduce the resting bronchial tone.