Pathology of obstructive lung disease Flashcards
what is asthma?
it is a respiratory condition marked by attacks of spasm in the bronchi of the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing
what condition is usually connected to allergic reaction or other forms of hypersensitivity?
asthma
can asthma be cured?
no
what can appropriate management of asthma lead to?
the condition being controlled and enabling people to enjoy good quality of life
what is short term medication for asthma used for?
it is used to relieve symptoms
what is COPD?
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, it is a lung disease characterised by chronic obstruction of lung airflow that interferes with normal breathing and is not fully reversible
what are asthma triggers?
they are stimuli that irritate and inflame the airways, it is important to avoid asthma triggers
is there a cure for COPD?
no
how can the progression of COPD be slowed down?
through smart maintenance therapy
what is chronic bronchitis?
one type of COPD, it is inflammation and swelling of the lining of the airways, leading to narrowing and obstruction generally resulting in daily cough
outline chronic bronchitis
obstruction of the airways, especially with mucus, increases the likelihood of bacterial lung infection
what can the mucus produced from the inflamed bronchial tubes lead to?
coughing and difficulty breathing
what are common causes of chronic bronchitis?
cigarette smoking, breathing in air pollution, breathing in fumes breathing in dust etc over a long period of time
why are steroids used for treatment of asthma?
they are powerful medicines that can reduce inflammation in the airways
what are the 2 ways that steroids can be used in the treatment of asthma?
they can be used as an immediate short term treatment or as a long term treatment
