Respiratory Flashcards
List some potential environmental factors which may predispose to asthma?
Allergens Microbial exposure Diet Vitamins Breastfeeding Tobacco smoke Air pollution Obesity
Describe the typical clinical features of a patient presenting with undiagnosed asthma
Recurrent episodes of symptoms which are worse at night and early in the morning, including:
- Wheeze
- Breathlessness
- Chest tightness
- Coughing
List the classic triggers of asthma
Exercise Cold weather Airborne allergens/pollution Viral upper respiratory tract infections Drugs - beta-blockers, NSAIDs, oral contraceptive pill, cholinergic agents, PGF2a
Describe the ‘classic case’ of aspirin-sensitive asthma
A middle aged female with asthma symptoms, rhino sinusitis and nasal polyps, who’s symptoms are worse after alcohol or food containing salicylate.
What would you typically find on examination of a patient with suspected asthma?
Normal, except for wheeze.
May see nasal polyps, eczema or a vascular rash.
What is the diagnostic criteria for asthma?
- Compatible clinical history
- FEV1 >12% (200ml) increase following bronchodilator therapy or glucocorticoid trial (reversibility test)
- > 20% diurnal variation on >2 days in a week for a 2 week PEF diary
- FEV >14% decrease after 6 minutes of exercise
What investigations would you consider doing in a patient with suspected asthma?
- PEF
- Spirometry
- Glucocorticoid trial
- FBC - eosinophilia
- Exercise testing
- Skin-prick testing/IgE levels
- CXR
- High-resolution CT
What advice would you give to a patient diagnosed with asthma?
- Explanation of condition, relationship between symptoms and inflammation
- Red flag symptoms for poor control e.g. nocturnal waking
- Explanation of PEF monitoring
- Avoidance of aggravating factors
- Smoking cessation
- Adequate warm up or pre-treatment before exercise
- Reviews of medication adherence and inhaler technique
Describe the management plan of a patient with diagnosed asthma
- Short-acting Beta-agonist as required (CONTINUED THROUGHOUT)
- ADD regular low dose inhaled corticosteroids
- ADD inhaled LABA (combination inhaler)
- No response to LABA - STOP LABA and INCREASE inhaled corticosteroid to medium dose
Inadequate response to LABA - CONTINUE LABA and INCREASE inhaled corticosteroid to medium dose OR CONTINUE LABA and inhaled corticosteroid AND consider trial of leukotriene receptor antagonist, sustained-release theophylline or long-acting muscarinic antagonist - Consider trials of INCREASE inhaled corticosteroid to high dose OR ADD leukotriene receptor antagonist, sustained-release theophylline or long-acting muscarinic antagonist or beta-agonist tablet AND refer to specialist care
- ADD daily steroid table and maintain high dose inhaled corticosteroid AND refer to specialist care
- Biologics - Omalizumab (atopic) or Mepolizumab (eosinophilic)
List the indications for addition of a regular preventer inhaler
- Exacerbation in the last 2 years
- Uses B-agonist >3x weekly
- Reports symptoms >3x weekly
- Awakened by asthma 1x weekly
Why would you not prescribe a LABA alone to an asthmatic?
Associated with increased risk of life-threatening attack and asthma death
Describe the management of a mild-moderate asthma exacerbation in secondary care
Short course of oral rescue prednisolone
Describe the management of a mild acute asthma attack in primary care
- Measure PEF
- Give usual inhaled bronchodilator and wait 60 mins
- Send home with advice - return immediately if worsens, GP appointment within 48 hours
OR
- Nebulised treatment
- Measure PEF
- Wait 30 mins
- Re-check PEF
- PEF >60% –> send home (after checking with senior medical professional) with 5 days of prednisolone and start/double inhaled corticosteroids
Describe the management of a moderate acute asthma attack in primary care
- Measure PEF
- Perform ABG
- Nebulised salbutamol 5mg or terbutaline 2.5mg
- High flow/60% oxygen
- Prednisolone 40mg PO
- Wait 30 mins
- PEF >60% –> home, PEF <60% –> follow protocol for severe asthma attack
Describe the management of a severe/life-threatening acute asthma attack in primary care
- Measure PEF (if patient able)
- Perform ABG
- Nebulised salbutamol 5mg or terbutaline 2.5mg 6-12x daily as required
- High flow/60% oxygen
- Prednisolone 40mg PO OR hydrocortisone 200mg IV
- Obtain IV access and get plasma theophylline level and plasma K+
- Order CXR
- Administer repeat salbutamol and ipratropium bromide by oxygen-driven nebuliser (consider continuous salbutamol nebuliser)
- Consider IV MgSO4 or amiophylline (cardiac monitoring required)
- Correct fluids and electrolytes
Record PEF every 15-30mins then every 4-6 hours
Continuous pulse oximetry and repeat ABGs
Describe the features of an acute severe asthma attack
Unable to complete sentences in 1 breath
PEF 33-50% predicted value
HR >110bpm
RR >25
Describe the features of a life-threatening asthma attack
Silent chest Cyanosis Feeble respiratory effort Bradycardia, arrhythmias Hypotension Exhaustion, delirium, coma PEF <33% predicted SpO2 <92% PaO2 <8kPa PaCO2 normal or raised
List the indications for a rescue course of glucocorticoids in an asthmatic
- Symptoms and PEF progressively worsening day to day, with fall of PEF <60% of patient’s personal best
- Onset or worsening of sleep disturbance by asthma
- Persistence of morning symptoms until midday
- Progressively diminishing response to an inhaled bronchodilator
- Symptoms that are sufficiently severe enough to require treatment with nebulised or injected bronchodilators
List the indications for assisted ventilation in an asthmatic
- Coma
- Respiratory arrest
- PaO2 <8kPa and falling
- PaCO2 >6kPa and rising
- pH low and falling
- Exhaustion, delirium, drowsiness
List the 2 criteria that asthmatic s need to meet before discharge after an asthma attack
- Patient should be stable on discharge medication, nebulised treatment discontinued for >24 hours
- PEF has reached >75% of predicted value or personal best
List some risk factors for COPD
Tobacco smoking Indoor air pollution Occupational exposure e.g. coal dust, silica, cadmium Low birth weight Childhood infection Maternal smoking during childhood Recurrent infection Low socioeconomic status Cannabis smoking Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency Airway hyper-reactivity
List some co-morbidities commonly associated with COPD
Cardiovascular disease Cerebrovascular disease Metabolic syndrome Osteoporosis Depression Lung cancer
Describe chronic bronchitis
Cough and sputum for at least 3 consecutive months in each of 2 consecutive years
Describe emphysema
Abnormal permanent enlargement of the airspaces distal to the terminal bronchioles, accompanied by destruction of their walls and without obvious fibrosis
Describe the typical clinical features of a patient with COPD
Age >40 Cough Sputum Breathlessness Haemoptysis (during exacerbations) Peripheral oedema Morning headaches Muscular weakness Weight loss Osteoporosis
What might you find on examination of a patient with COPD?
Quiet breath sounds Crackles Peripheral oedema Barrel chest Tar staining on fingers
List 6 differential diagnoses for COPD
Chronic asthma TB Bronchiectasis Congestive cardiac failure Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency Lung cancer