M103 T4 L7 Flashcards
When does asthma most commonly present?
in childhood or in middle age
Which three factors cause airflow obstruction?
Bronchoconstriction
Bronchial secretions and plugs of mucus
Oedema of the bronchial wall
What causes bronchial secretions and plugs of mucus?
inflammation of the bronchial wall
What causes oedema of the bronchial wall?
inflammation the lining mucosa of the bronchial wall
How can asthma be identified in patients?
skin prick test
measure igE atby levels
often associated hay fever / eczema in the personal family history
blood test (in conjunction with other tests - rarely done by itself for asthma)
What are the symptoms of asthma?
Cough
Wheeze
Breathlessness
Chest tightness
Time wise how do asthma symptoms take effect?
occurs in episodes with periods of no / minimal symptoms
diurnal variability
What would you look at to better diagnose asthma?
History Symptom free periods Past medical history family history (of any atopic disease) social history (occupation, pets) alternative diagnosis is unlikely Physical examination may be normal except during an attack
What are examples of features in a past medical history that could help indicate asthma?
previous wheezing illness
hay fever
eczema
What three investigations can be conducted to indicate asthma?
Tests done by GP
Tests done by GP/Hospital
Skin prick / blood tests may confirm allergies
Which investigations can be done by the GP alone to help diagnose asthma?
Peak flow monitoring
Spirometry may show airflow obstruction, but may be normal between attacks
Which investigations can be done by the GP or the hospital to help diagnose asthma?
CXR, eosinophil count, FeNO
CXR often normal, but may show hyperinflation
ec increased
Which investigations can be done by the hospital only to help diagnose asthma?
skin prick
blood test
How often is peak flow monitored by the GP?
twice day for two weeks
What causes hyperinflated lungs?
trapped air - can’t exhale / push out all of the air that’s in the lungs
the air gets trapped and takes up space
can make it harder to get fresh air into the body
the lungs try to fix this by taking in more and more air
How can eosinophilic asthma be identified from other asthmas?
patient will have an increased eosinophil count in the blood
count will be greater than 0.3
What value indicates airflow obstruction?
when the FEV1 / FVC ratio is greater than 0.7
Reversible airflow obstruction is when the asthma is not present all the time. What test can we do to indicate the presence of asthma in these conditions?
patient performs spirometry
measure their FEV1
give them a bronchodilator to see if the value improves
How can salbutamol be administered to an asthma patient?
inhaler via a spacer
sometimes nebuliser
In what circumstance can salbutamol be administered as a nebuliser?
only if the patient has severe asthma or COPD / acute exacerbation of their asthma
How can salbutamol be administered to an asthma patient?
a spacer device containing an inhaler
tablets, capsules or syrup (for people who cannot use an inhaler very well)
nebuliser
How is PEFR monitored independently by the patient?
they should take a PEFR three times so that an average value can be calculated
should be standing up at the time
What does a positive FeNO value look like and what does it indicate?
a positive test is more than 40ppb - supports diagnosis of asthma
Where is FeNO used?
can be done in GP and hospital clinics
How are asthma patients symptoms / QoL improved by non-physiological means?
stop smoking
lose weight
What four factors do corticosteroids reduce?
ease swelling
itching
redness
allergic reactions
Why are asthma patients never administered a single asthma treatment by itself?
one medication only is associated with increased deaths a bronchodilator (e.g.) only treats the symptoms - is short term relief doesn't do anything about the cause - doens't treat the inflammation
What is the function of long acting b2 agonists?
to relax smooth muscle and cause bronchodilatation
What are two examples of long acting b2 agonists?
salmeterol
formoterol
How long do LABAs last for and how often should they be administered per day?
12 hours (longer lasting than others) twice a day
What are the two oral treatments of asthma? (LAM Theo)
leukotriene antagonist-montelukast
theophyllines
When might an asthma patient be put on low dose long-term oral steroids?
chronically poorly controlled asthma
patients who keep having recurrent courses of high doses of steroids
Give an example of a low dose longterm oral steroid
prednisolone
Give an example of an oral leukotriene antagonist
montelukast
What is the function of short acting beta agonists?
relieves symptoms when the patient becomes symptomatic in certain situations e.g. exercise
What are two examples of short acting beta agonists?
Salbutamol
Terbutaline