Obstructive Airway Overview Flashcards
What general class of disease involves the lungs?
Restrictive disease
Name three obstructive airway syndromes
Asthma
Chronic bronchitis
Emphysema
What is the asthma triad?
Reversible airflow obstruction
Airway inflammation
Airway hyperresponsiveness
Dynamic evolution of asthma: What does bronchoconstriction lead to?
Brief symptoms
Dynamic evolution of asthma: What does chronic airway inflammation lead to?
Exacerbations of airway hyperresponsivness
Dynamic evolution of asthma: what does airway remodelling lead to?
Fixed airway obstruction
In relation to the hallmarks of remodelling in asthma, what happens to the basement membrane, submucosa and smooth muscle?
Basement membrane - thickening
Submucosa - collagen deposition
Smooth muscle - hypertrophy
Describe the stages in the inflammatory cascade.
- Genetic predisposition + trigger factor (viral, allergen, chemical)
- Airway inflammation
- Mediators/TH2 Cytoklines (e.g. histamine, leukotriene)
- Twitchy smooth muscle (hyper-reactivity)
What can be used to manage airway inflammation in the inflammatory cascade?
Anti-inflammatory corticosteroid
What can be used to control the mediators in the inflammatory cascade?
Anti-leukotriene
Anti-IgE
Anti-IL4/5/13
What can be used to manage twichy smooth muscle (hyper-reactivity) in the inflammatory cascade?
Bronchodilators (beta-2-agonists)
What happens to asthma symptoms when the patient is related to drugs (NSAIDs, B-blockers), chemicals, cold, smoke, viral infection and exercise?
Symptoms worsen
What can be said about the timing of asthma symptoms?
Episodic and dirurinal variability (nocturnal/early morning)
What type of cough is present in asthma, and what symptoms alongside it?
Non-productive cough and wheeze
Name three associated atopy with asthma
Rhinitis
Conjunctivitis
Eczema
What is the wheezing due to in asthma?
Turbulent airflow
What would a diurinal variation of peak flow rate indicate about the diagnosis of asthma?
Confirm it
What would the forced expiratory ratio be like in an asthmatic?
Reduced
FEV1/FVC