Respiratory, Smoking and Substances Flashcards
A 56year old man with COPD attends with an exacerbation, not requiring hospital admission. You determine he needs antibiotics, what do you prescribe?
First line any of:
Amoxicillin 500 mg TDS for 5 days.
Doxycycline 200 mg on first day, then 100mg OD for 5-day course in total.
Clarithromycin 500 mg BD for 5 days
If high risk tx failure - co-amox TDS for 5 days/ levofloxacin
(In addition to prednisolone 30mg)
A patient started on prednisolone and doxycycline for an exacerbation of COPD is not better 4 days after starting medications. They do not require hospital admissions, according to NICE what two actions should you take?
Send a sputum sample for culture and susceptibility testing
Offer an alternative first choice antibiotic from different class
A 64 year old man presents with worsening breathless on a background of COPD, name 5 things that would make you consider admission?
Severe symptoms and/ or not coping at home
Confusion
Cyanosis or sats <90%
Already on LTOT
Worsening peripheral oedema
New arrhythmia
What are your main 3 considerations in whether to prescribe antibiotics for COPD exacerbations?
Severity of symptoms (i.e. and change in colour, volume, thickness of sputum)
Risk of complications
Previous sputum results
Risk of resistance/ current prophylaxis (use ABx from different class)
Give an example of when COPD should be clinically suspected?
Patients over 35 with a RF (smoking, occupational exposure) and one of:
- Breathlessness
- Chronic cough
- Regular sputum production
- Wheeze
- Frequent LRTI’s
(Also may have reduced exercise tolerance, weight loss, waking at night, ankle swelling etc.)
How is a diagnosis of COPD made?
Clinical symptoms
+
Post bronchodilator FEV1/FVC <0.7
(Spirometry which shows persistent airflow obstruction)
What is cor pulmonale and name 2 signs?
R sided heart failure secondary to lung disease
- Peripheral oedema
- Raised JVP
What are the steps of the MRC dyspneoa scale?
0- Breathless only with strenous exercise
1- Breathless with fast walk/ up slight hill
2- Slowed/ stopping walk due to breathless
3- Can’t walk 100m due to breathless
4- Breathless with ADL’s/ can’t leave house
A 65year old male presents with breathlessness, you suspect COPD given his smoking history, what other differentials could be considered (5)?
Asthma - Younger onset, nocturnal or variable syx, FHx, atopy, non-smoker
Heart failure - Worse lying flat, hx IHD etc
Lung Ca - Haemoptysis, weight loss, voice change
ILD - Dry cough, occupational exposure
Bronchiectasis - Lots of sputum, frequent infections etc
TB etc..
When should a patient with COPD be considered for LTOT assessment?
Treatment for hypoxia NOT breathlessness
- Sats <92% on air
- FEV1 < 49%
- Cyanosis
- Polycythaemia
(Must be non smoker)
What non-pharmacological interventions should be offered to all COPD patients? (5)
Smoking cessation
Inhaler technique advice
Annual flu vaccine
One off pneumococcal vaccine
Advice on increasing exercise
Referral for pulmonary rehab if MRC 3 or worse
What is first line inhaler treatment for a patient COPD?
If breathless and exercise limitation:
1) PRN SABA
- Use DPI over MDI’s for environment
(Easyhaler salbutamol, bricanyl turbohaler)
Your patient with COPD is on a bricanyl turbohaler (SABA) PRN and still getting symptoms, what is next management step?
No asthmatic or steroid responsive features:
2) Add LABA/ LAMA combo (Anoro ellipta/ ultibro breezhaler)
Asthmatic or steriod responsive features:
2) Add ICS/ LABA combo
(Relvar ellipta, fostair nexthaler)
Your patient with COPD is on a bricanyl turbohaler PRN and an ultibro breezehaler (LABA/LAMA) and still getting symptoms, what is next management step?
Keep SABA (Bricanyl turbohaler)
Switch to an ICS/LAMA/ LABA combo:
- Trelegy Ellipta
- Trimbow nexthaler`
What features of COPD would suggest steroid responsiveness?
FEV1< 50%
Frequent exacerbations (1 or more in last year)
Asthma overlap symptoms
Eosinophils > 100cells/ ml
Your patient with COPD is on a bricanyl turbohaler PRN and an Relvar Ellipta (ICS/ LABA) OD and still getting symptoms, what is next management step?
Keep SABA (Bricanyl turbohaler)
Switch ICS/ LABA to an ICS/LAMA/ LABA combo:
- Trelegy Ellipta
- Trimbow nexthaler`
Your 57year old patient with COPD isn’t tolerating a DPI (Salbutamol Easyhaler) you prescribed, what alternatives could you try?
SABA MDI
- Salamol or Airomir
NOT VENTOLIN (large carbon footprint)
Trial PRN SAMA MDI
- Atrovent
Spiriva inhalers contain which medication?
Tiotriopium
(LAMA)
Give three brand names of LAMA inhalers:
Tiotropium:
- Spiriva (respimat/ handihaler/ DPI)
- Braltus
Glycopyrronium:
- Seebri breezehaler
Give three brand names of ICS inhalers:
Qvar (MDI)
Clenil (MDI)
*Easyhaler budesonide (DPI)
*Pulimicort tubohaler (DPI)
Flixotide (DPI or MDI)
Give three brand names of ICS + LABA combination inhalers:
*Fostair (DPI/ MDI)
*Relvar ellipta (DPI)
Symbicort (DPI/ MDI)
Fobumix (DPI)
Seretide/ seriflo/ sirdupla
Give three brand names of ICS + LABA + LAMA combination inhalers:
*Trelegy ellipta (DPI)
*Trimbow Nexthaler (DPI)
Trimbow (MDI)
Enerzair Breezehaler (DPI)
Give three brand names of LABA + LAMA combination inhalers:
*Ultibro breezehaler (DPI)
*Anoro Ellipta (DPI)
Spiolto Respimat
What is the best resource to objectively test asthma control?
Asthma control test
(5Q’s, adult and child versions)
Takes around 1 min
Score out of 25
How do you interpret the results of the asthma control test?
20-25 = Good control
16-19 = Poor control
<16 = Very poor control
After any change in asthma treatment, when should the patient be re-reviewed?
4-8 weeks
After any step up or step down treatment
If an inhaled ICS is contraindicated or not tolerated, what are 3 alternative preventer medications in asthma?
- LTRA (Montelukast) for children under five years old.
- Sodium cromoglicate (children over 5)
- Nedocromil sodium (children over 5 + adults)
- Theophylline (all ages)
A 36 year old patient is on salbutamol and a low dose ICS. Their asthma control test score is 17. What is the next most appropriate step in management?
17 = poor control
Next step = add in LTRA (i.e. montelukast, 10mg ON)
A 36 year old patient is on salbutamol and a low dose ICS alongside Montelukast 10mg ON which they say helped a bit when started. Their asthma control test score is 15. What is the next most appropriate step in management?
Asthma test score 15 = Very poor control
If on SABA + ICS + LTRA, next step is to add LABA
(Switch ICS to ICS/ LABA combo)
A 36 year old patient is on salbutamol and a low dose ICS/ LABA combo alongside Montelukast 10mg ON. Their asthma control test score is 18 and they say it got slightly better with each step of added treatment. What is the next most appropriate step in management?
Asthma test score 18 = Poor control
Switch to MART therapy (this replaces the salbutamol)
- New regieme would be MART (fostair) + Montelukast
A 36 year old patient is on Fostair nexthaler (MART) alongside Montelukast 10mg ON. Their asthma control test score is 18 and they say it got slightly better with each step of added treatment. What is the next most appropriate step in management?
Fostair nexthaler has low dose ICS
Switch to medium dose ICS
In a patient using MART regular therapy, how many additional PRN doses indicates poor control?
In persons using a MART regime, a persistent requirement for PRN doses of their inhaler more than twice per week indicates poor asthma control and
should prompt a review of therapy.
A 36 year old patient is on a MART therapy with a medium dose ICS, alongside Montelukast 10mg ON. Their asthma control test score is 18. What is the next most appropriate step in management (give 3 options)?
1) Increase ICS dose in MART to high dose steroid
2) Add LAMA (tiotropium) such as Spiriva
3) Add oral theophyline (200mg BD)
Give a brief 7 step overview of asthma management in adults?
1) SABA (salbuatmol)
2) SABA + ICS (low dose)
3) SABA + ICS (low dose) + LTRA
—OR— SABA + ICS(low)/ LABA combo
4) Try alternative option of (3) - if previous step no difference stop it
5) Switch to MART (stop SABA > ICS/ fast acting LABA) +/ LTRA
6) Increase ICS dose from low to med
7) Increase ICS dose to high/ add LAMA (spiriva)/ add theophyline
Asthma diagnosis is based of presence of more than one of which 4 symptoms?
Wheeze, cough, breathlessness, and chest tightness
(Usually diurnal symptoms - worse at night/ early morning)Nam
In addition to peak flow, name two investigations commonly performed for asthma? What is classed as a positive result?
FeNO (Over 40 parts per billion = +ve)
Spirometry (+/- reversibility)
- FEV1/FVC < 70% suggests obstruction
- If obstructive, do bronchodilator reversibility
- FEV1 increase of at least 12% and 200mls is considered +ve
What is the false positive and false negative rates of FeNo?
20% (both)
Can be affected by exposure to steroids
How and when is a peak flow diary performed? What is a positive result?
Measure peak flow at different times of day
- Performed if diagnostic uncertainty post assessment/ FENO/ spiro
A value of more than 20% variability after monitoring at least twice daily for 2-4 weeks is regarded as a positive result:
What is first line investigation for asthma in all symptomatic patients?
Spirometry
- Should be offered to all over 5 years
(FENO where possible for those over 17, and for children in those who spirometry either didn’t show obstruction or showed obstruction but with no reversibility)
What level of eosinophills makes you consider patients can be more or less steroid respsonive?
<0.1 = Unlikely to benefit
> 0.1 = Could benefit, give steroids
>0.3 = Very likely to benefit
What are the classic presenting features of a pancoast tumour?
Horners syndrome + shoulder pain
(Apical lung tumour)
Name 3 causes of horners syndrome?
Apical lung tumours
Lymphadenopathy (all causes)
CVA/ MS/ pituitary tumour
Trauma
Brachial plexus or cervical rib trauma
Carotid dissection
(Multiple more)
What are the simplified indications for Abx and steroids in COPD exacerbations as should be explained to paitents?
Breathlessness = Just steroid
Change in sputum = Just abx
If both w= give both
(both for 5 days)
How do you manage asthma exacerbations in a) mod b) severe c) life threatening in adults?
All - Prednisolone 40mg for 5 days (or if less severe quadruple inhaled ICS)
Mod: Salbutamol via space
Severe: Salbutamol via spacer or nebuliser
LT: Salbutamol + ipatropium via nebuliser
Severe/ LT - Oxygen to keep sats 94-98%
What indications in adults for hospital admission with asthma exacerbation?
History of near fatal attack in past
Mod - If not improving
Severe - If any severe features after initial treatment
Life threatening - all
Lower threshold if evening/ recent admission etc.
How many L/min of oxygen are needed to midst nebuliser solution if driving a neb with oxygen?
Minimum of 6/L min usually (but may need more to treat hypoxia?)
When should patients with asthma be reviewed following hospital admission?
All patients should be reviewed in primary care within 2 days of discharge for asthma review