T4 L7: Asthma

Question 1

What is atopy?

Answer 1

The genetic tendency to develop allergies

Question 2

What is asthma in young people often associated with?

Answer 2

Allergies (atopy). Associated with hay fever or eczema

Question 3

Which 3 medications can act as triggers for asthma?

Answer 3

Aspirin, ibuprofin, and beta-blockers

Question 4

Which tests can be done to confirm an asthma diagnosis?

Answer 4

Peak flow, spirometry, chest X-ray, eosinophil count, and traction exhaled NO (FeNO)

Question 5

What are ICS?

Answer 5

Inhaled corticosteroids

Question 6

What are LABA?

Answer 6

Inhaled long acting beta-2 agonists

Question 7

Why are LABA always taken in combination with ICS?

Answer 7

Single use was associated with increased deaths

Question 8

Beclometasone, Fluticasone, budesonide, and cicesonide are types of what preventative asthma treatment?

Answer 8

ICS

Question 9

Formoterol and salmetrol are types of which preventative asthma treatment?

Answer 9

LABA

Question 10

What oral treatment are patients with poorly controlled asthma given?

Answer 10

Low dose long term oral steroids like prednisolone

Question 11

What are SABA?

Answer 11

short acting beta agonists

Question 12

Salbutamol and Terbutaline are types of which asthma relief?

Answer 12

SABA

Question 13

What is MART?

Answer 13

Maintenance and reliever therapy. It’s used to treat the inflammatory aspect of asthma by giving both ICS and LABA

Question 14

What are the 2 different types of inhaler devices?

Answer 14

Dry powder inhalers (DPI), and pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDI)

Question 15

Which specialised treatment is given to small numbers of patients with difficult asthma?

Answer 15

Monoclonal antibodies. Anti-igE injections (omalizumab) and anti-IL5 (eosinophil) treatment (metolizumab)

Question 16

What is a PAAP?

Answer 16

A personal asthma action plan. It helps improve asthma control

Question 17

What are the features of acute severe asthma?

Answer 17

• Peak flow 33-50% of normal best
• cant complete sentences
• respiration >25/min
• pulse >110/min

Question 18

What effect do IV MgSO4 or aminophylline have on the body?

Answer 18

Bronchodilation, they relax smooth muscle

Question 19

What is the mechanism behind asthma?

Answer 19

Noradrenaline should normally bind to a beta-2 receptor, which reacts with a G protein and then adenylyl cyclase to produce cAMP. This will activate PKA which will relax smooth muscles. In asthma, not enough cAMP is produced so the muscles dont relax enough