MKSAP 2: Airways Disease Flashcards
Define asthma
chronic respiratory condition characterized by reversible airway obstruction that is caused by airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness
What are the strong associations/risk factors for allergic asthma?
personal or family history of allergies or atopy, maternal smoking while pregnant and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in childhood
What can predispose individuals to asthma?
exposure to indoor environmental allergens, environmental tobacco smoke and viruses
What is the list of differentials that could be asthma mimics?
COPD Vocal cord dysfunction Heart failure Bronchiectasis ABPA CF Mechanical obstruction Churg Strauss syndrome
What are the classic presentation symptoms in someone wiht asthma?
Episodic symptoms of cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath and wheezing
What is the first step in someone with suspected asthma?
Spirometry to assess assess presence and severity of airway obstruction and reversibility
What is the most common form of asthma in adults?
What is the typical clinical course?
allergic asthma
Patients with atopy may present with allergic asthma early in life, experience a period of stability, and then may have recurrence later. Family history usually positive for allergies and asthma. Symptoms may be seasonal and require trigger avoidance and stepping up therapy during times of known exacerbation. Superimposed viral infections or other nonallergic triggers may exacerbate allergic asthma
How is cough variant asthma different?
Present with persistent or episodic cough in the absence of other common symptoms usually associated with asthma. Extrinsic triggers such as cold air or irritants. Spiro and bronchial challenge testing help confirm
Define exercise induced bronchospasm
In EIB, symptoms occur in patients with asthma with exercise that requires increased respiratory ventilation
In a patient with dyspnea with exertion but normal spirometry, what test helps diagnose the patient?
methacholine challenge testing will help assess the degree to which symptoms are related to hyperactivity of the lungs
What is the treatment for EIB?
If symptoms occur only a few times per week, EIB can be managed with inhaled short acting B2 agonists such as albuterol given 5-20 min prior to exercise which is protective 2-4 hrs
Which drug is helpful in minimizing the number and severity of EIB asthma episodes?
Inhaled glucocorticoids
What other nonpharmacologic strategies are helpful for EIB?
Warming and humidifying inhaled air with nasal breathing as well as covering the nose and mouth during exercise in cold environments. Also a 10 minute pre-exercise warmup can help decrease occurrence of EIB for up to 4 hrs
What is occupational asthma?
Asthma symptoms related to workplace exposures, agents associated with airway hyperactivity
What workers are at risk?
farmers, factory workers, hairdressers
What test can be a helpful screening tool for occupational asthma?
serial monitoring of peak flows throughout the workday, with a comparison to a baseline time period away from exposures
What is the confirmatory test for occupational asthma?
spirometry before and after rechallenge with workplace exposures is helpful to confirm the diagnosis
What are the general treatment guidelines for occupational asthma?
Follow guidelines for typical asthma. Allergen exposure should be controlled or eliminated
Name the triad of aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease or Samter triad?
severe persistent asthma, aspirin sensitivity, and hyperplastic eosinophilic sinusitis with nasal polyposis
What is the pathophysiology of aspirin induced asthma?
Exposure to aspirin or other NSAIDs leads to inhibition of cyclooxygenase and increase leukotriene synthesis
what is the treatment for aspirin induced asthma?
avoid aspirin and typical asthma management
What do you do with patients that require aspirin (cardiac patients) with aspirin sensitive asthma?
aspirin desensitization procedure
Define reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS)
Development of respiratory symptoms in the minutes or hours after a single inhalation of a high concentration of irritant and airway hyperresponsiveness persists for an extended period of time
What are examples of irritants in patients with RADS?
inhalation of strong fumes, particulate matter, chemical irritants
What does spirometry show in a patient with RADS?
may reveal evidence of bronchocontriction that is reversible
What is the intitial treatment of RADS?
Same as treatment for asthma
What is virus induced bronchospasm?
a viral respiratory infection leading to airway hyperresponsiveness and obstruction through nonallergic mechanisms in patients without a hx of asthma
How long typically does virus induced bronchospasm take to resolve?
6-8 weeks after a respiratory infection
Up to half of asthma exacerbations are related to what viral pathogen?
rhinovirus
How to asthmatic patients present with influenza infections? Therefore what is the recommendation in treating these patients/
Present with more severe symptoms and recommendation is to get annual flu vaccine
What is ABPA?
Which patients are at increased risk for it?
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Chronic hypersensitivity reaction that occurs in response to colonization of the lower airways with Aspergillus species
What are the presenting signs and symptoms of ABPA?
Impaired mucociliary clearence with expectoration of mucus plugs, destruction of pulmonary parenchyma with broncheictasis, difficult to control asthma and weight loss.
Atopic asthma or CF
What are the lab and imaging findings of ABPA?
positive skin testing to Aspergillus antigens high IgE titers to Aspergillus peripheral eosinophilia Proximal bronchiectasis Pleural thickening transient infiltrates atelectasis
What is the scale up in treatment for ABPA?
systemic glucocorticoids
inhaled glucocorticoids can reduce need for higher doses of systemic glucocorticoids
antifungal therapy (fluconazole)
anti-IgE therapy - omalizumab
How can GERD make underlying asthma worse?
Direct reflux of asidic gastric contents in to the respiratory system resulting in upper airway inflammation or direct lung injury; reflux in lower esophagus causing bronchoconstriction
What do you do with a patient with suboptimal control of asthma and history consistent with GERD?
empirically start an antacid
How should patients with uncontrolled asthma be evaluated in the context of the unified airway concept?
Evaluated for occult sinus disease, possible treatment of bacterial sinusitis or allergic sinusitis with nasal glucocorticoids
How are OSA treatment and asthma treatment related? What factors for asthma control are improved with OSA treatment?
The relationship between asthma and OSA treatment appears to be bidirectional.
CPAP improves asthma symptoms, frequency of rescue inhaler use and quality of life scores.
Paradoxical fold motion disorder = vocal cord dysfunction. What presentation symptoms are highly suspicious of VCD?
- mid chest tightness with exposure to particular triggers such as strong irritants or emotions
- difficulty breathing in
- symptoms that only partially respond to asthma meds