Respiratory: Pharmaceutical Care for Respiratory Patients 2 Flashcards
What should you watch out for in drug to drug interactions in patients with respiratory diseases?
Theophylline:
- Watch out for aminophylline infusions
- Interactions lithium and macrolides
- Drugs that lower potassium
What diseases be affected by drugs that are used for respiratory diseases?
- Diabetes: steroids increase the plasma glucose levels
- Cardiovascular disease (watch out for potassium)
- Hypertension
- Prostatic hyperplasia
- Glaucoma
- Liver disease, pneumonia and heart failure reduces theophylline clearance
What are the severe acute asthma symptoms?
- Cyanosis: turning blue
- Silent breathing: breathing stops for a while, sign of an asthma attack
- Tachycardia
- Tachypnea: increase rate of breathing
- Severe breathlessness
- Decreased O2 saturations
- Accessory muscle use (hunch over to breathe a bit)
How do we treat severe acute asthma symptoms with oxygen and beta 2 adrenergic agonists?
- We give them 94 to 98% of oxygen
- Beta two adrenergic agonists
- Can use salbutamol 2.5mg and 5mg back to back if asthma is bad
- Doesn’t really help much
- Nebulised route can be used (oxygen driven)
- 15 to 30 minute interval of them
- Can be given in IV but may lead to more side effects
How do we treat severe acute asthma symptoms with steroid treatment?
- Give a 5 day course of prednisolone of 40 to 50mg
- Reduces the mortality rate, the need for beta 2 agonists and the amount of hospital admissions
- Oral route is just as effective as the IV route, similar effect and side effects
- When someone suffering an asthma attack, better to give them IV route as they cannot swallow 8 tablets
How do we treat severe acute asthma symptoms with Ipratropium bromide and magnesium sulphate?
- Ipratropium bromide is more potent than the beta 2 agonist and causes more of a bronchodilation effect but shorter duration (500mg QDS every 4 to 6 hours)
- Magnesium sulphate is an effective bronchodilator when administered via IV or nebuliser
How do we treat severe acute asthma symptoms with aminophylline or leukotriene receptor antagonists?
- Aminophylline can be administered through IV when the initial treatment has failed- must check level of theophylline
- Leukotriene receptor antagonists- not indicated in acute asthma
What should you monitor when you’re monitoring a patient with severe asthma?
- Peak expiratory flow rate
- Serum Theophylline
- Blood glucose levels: due to side effects of drugs
- Heart rate: due to side effects of drugs
- Oxygen Saturation
- Potassium levels: too low potassium can cardiac arrest, muscle weakness and respiratory failure
How do you promote healthcare for a patient with asthma?
- You should tell them that they should monitor their symptoms more frequently and follow up with a respiratory nurse in their surgery
- Asthma action plan
- Vaccination as patients will be more prone to disease
How do you counsel a patient that has asthma?
- Access the exacerbation and the trigger factors that cause it
- Review inhaler technique and ensure compliance with the inhaler
- Consider stepping up the treatment
What are the side effects of inhaled corticosteroids?
- Oral candidiasis
- Dysphonia: affects the voice
- Higher doses means more severe side effects
What are the side effects of long acting beta 2 agonists?
- Cardiovascular stimulation
- Anxiety
- Tremor
What are the side effects of Leukotriene receptor antagonists?
- Abdominal pain
- Thirst
- Sleep disturbances
- Headaches
If someone is on a high dose of steroids for a long period of time, what do you have to provide them?
- Steroid treatment card
- Higher risk of side effects
- Show healthcare professional if you feel ill
- Visit the GP if you feel symptoms worsening such as fatigue, muscle weakness, lost of appetite
- You should gradually lower the dose
What are some counselling points you can provide asthmatic patients?
- Know the difference between an preventer and a reliever
- Ensure they know that they must take their preventer regularly
- Know when their inhaler needs to be changed, with salbutamol they should shake the canister
- Prompt them not to waste medication with unnecessary test sprays
- Using a spacer and mouth rinser will reduce the effects of a corticosteroid (must ensure you clean the spacer)
- Aware of any asthma triggers such as dust mites and pet hair
- Carry steroid card as appropriate