Medicines in Respiratory Disease

Question 1

how are respiratory drugs administered?

Answer 1

• inhalation
• oral
• intravenous

Question 2

how are topical drugs delivered to the lungs?

Answer 2

• INHALATION

- delivers drug directly to the airway, not the circulation

Question 3

what drugs are used to improve ventilation?

Answer 3

Improve airway patency:

• bronchodilators
• anti-inflammatory drugs

Prevent mast cell degranulation:

• chromoglycate
• leukotriene receptor antagonists

Question 4

what are examples of bronchodilators?

Answer 4

• beta2 agonists

- anticholinergic

Question 5

what is an example of an anti-inflammatory drug?

Answer 5

corticosteroid

Question 6

what drug can improve gas exchange?

Answer 6

OXYGEN

Question 7

how are inhaled drugs delivered?

Answer 7

• metered dose inhaler (MDI)
• spinhaler
• turbohaler

Question 8

what can aid in inhaled drug delivery?

Answer 8

• nebulisers

- spacers

Question 9

what is a nebuliser?

Answer 9

liquid version of drug

Question 10

what are examples of short-acting B2 agonists?

Answer 10

• salbutamol

- terbutaline

Question 11

what drugs can be found in the blue inhaler?

Answer 11

• salbutamol

- terbutaline

Question 12

what is an example of a long-acting B2 agonist?

Answer 12

• salmeterol

Question 13

what drug is found in the green inhaler & why is it used?

Answer 13

• salmeterol

- used to prevent an asthma attack

Question 14

what is the function of anticholinergics?

Answer 14

they inhibit muscarinic nerve transmission in autonomic nerves (relaxation of smooth muscle)

Question 15

what is the function of corticosteroids?

Answer 15

reduce inflammation in the bronchial walls (effective topically or systemically)

Question 16

what is the function fo mast cell stabilisers and leukotriene inhibitors?

Answer 16

prevent release of chemical mediators in the bronchiole wall which initiate the process of asthma