Respiratory disorders Flashcards
What is asthma?
Chronic disorder of the lower airways
- Characterized by variable and recurrent symptoms, airflow obstruction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, underlying inflammation
Poor asthma control and flare clinical presentation
- Recurrent cough, wheeze, SOB, chest tightness, evidence of air trapping
- Symptoms worse at night, with exercise, during viral infections, exposure to irritants
Asthma diagnostic testing (diagnosis and monitoring)
- Diagnosis: spirometry → increase of FEV1 by 12% or greater from baseline post SABA use
- Monitor: peak flow meter
Physical examination findings of asthma and COPD during flare ups
- Hyperresonance on percussion
- Decreased tactile fremitus wheeze
- Prolonged expiratory phase of forced exhalation
- Low diaphragms
- Increased AP diameter
- Reduction in FEV1 or peak expiratory flow rate
- Reduction in arterial oxygen saturation (later finding)
What conditions need to be met in order to make the diagnosis of asthma using spirometry?
- Recurrent cough, wheeze, SOB, and/or chest tightness
- Symptoms worse at night, exercise, viral respiratory infection, irritants
- Increase in FEV1 >12% from baseline and/or post SABA use
Classifying and assessing asthma control in youths >12 years and adults
- Well controlled/intermittent asthma
- Symptoms → <2 days/week
- Nighttime awakenings → <2x/month
- Interference with normal activity → none
- SABA use for symptom control → <2 days/week
- FEV1 or peak flow → >80% predicted/personal best
Classifying and assessing asthma control in youths >12 years and adults
- Not well controlled/mild to moderate
- Symptoms → >2 days/week but not daily
- Nighttime awakenings → 3-4x/month (mild) or >1x/week but not nightly (moderate)
- SABA use → >2 days/week (mild) or daily (moderate)
- Interference with normal activity → some limitation
- FEV1 or peak flow → 60-80%
Classifying and assessing asthma control in youths >12 years and adults
- Very poorly controlled/severe
- Symptoms → throughout the day
- Nighttime awakenings → 7x/week (or >4x/week)
- SABA use → several times per day
- Interference with normal activity → extremely limited
- FEV1 or peak flow → <60%
Controller medications for asthma therapy
- ICS → fluticasone, mometasone, budesonide
- Leukotriene modifiers → montelukast (singulair)
- Alternative to ICS in mild asthma or add on in moderate/severe
- ICS/LABA → salmeterol, formoterol
- For moderate/severe
- LABA cannot be used without ICS
- ICS/LAMA → tiotropium
- Add on for patients with history of flares
When can you step down therapy in asthma control?
When asthma symptoms are well controlled and lung function plateaued (FEV1 or PEFR) for at least 3 months
What medication class should be avoided in patients with asthma and hypertension?
Beta blockers
- Mitigate effects of LABAs or SABAs, exacerbate bronchial symptoms via increased bronchial obstruction and airway reactivity
How to manage acute asthma exacerbation in primary care
- Mild to moderate → repeated SABA use up to 4-10 puffs every 20 minutes for first hour, 4-10 puffs every 3-4 hours or 6-10 puffs every 1-2 hours
- Oxygen therapy to maintain 93-95% saturation
- OCS for 5-7 days
- Prednisone 1 mg/kg/day adults or 1-2 mg/kg/day children
- Increase controller meds (ICS/LABA) for next 2-4 weeks OR start controller med OR high dose ICS for 7-14 days
Signs of a severe asthma exacerbation
- Talking in single words
- Sitting hunched forward
- Having respiratory rate >30 breaths/min
- HR >120 bpm
- Oxygen saturation <90%
- PED 50% or less than predicted or best
What is COPD?
Not fully reversible, progressive, associated with abnormal inflammatory response of lung to noxious particles/gas
- Inflammation and narrowing of peripheral airways that lead to decreased lung function
- Emphysema (destruction of alveoli) common finding
Clinical presentation of COPD
- Recurrent dyspnea, chronic cough, persistent sputum production
- Sputum production d/t → airway inflammation, smooth muscle constriction, altered lung mechanics
What is required for the diagnosis of COPD?
- History of progressive dyspnea, chronic cough, sputum production, history of tobacco use
- FEV1:FVC <70%
- Most sensitive indicator of early airflow limitation
- Spirometry needed to make clinical diagnosis
GOLD categories of COPD severity (1 though 4)
- GOLD 1 (mild): FEV1 >80% predicted
- GOLD 2 (moderate): FEV1 50-79% predicted
- GOLD 3 (severe): FEV1 30-49% predicted
- GOLD 4 (very severe): FEV1 <30% predicted
GOLD pharmacologic therapy for stable COPD - Group A
- Low risk for exacerbation
- Less symptoms
- One or fewer moderate exacerbations/year
- SABA
- LABA - salmeterol
- LAMA - tiotropium
GOLD pharmacologic therapy for stable COPD - Group B
- Low risk for exacerbations
- More symptoms
- One or fewer moderate exacerbations/year
- Long acting bronchodilator and/or LAMA
- LABA
GOLD pharmacologic therapy for stable COPD - Group C
- High risk for exacerbation
- Less symptoms
- Two or more exacerbations/year
LAMA