Treating COPD and Asthma

Question 1

What is asthma?

Answer 1

• chronic airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness which causes smooth muscle spasms in airways

Question 2

What are the targets of asthma treatments?

Answer 2

• bronchoconstriction
• inflammation

Question 3

What could be used to stop bronchoconstriction?

Answer 3

• Beta 2 agonist (dilates bronchi) - either LABA or SABA
• anticholinergic (ACh antagonist) - either LAMA or SAMA

Question 4

How would SAIDs (Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) help in treating asthma?

Answer 4

• SAIDs are corticosteroids/glucocorticoids, which act similar to cortisol
• they have an effect on signal transduction pathways (turns off multiple activated inflammatory genes which results in reduced inflammation)

Question 5

Asthma vs COPD
- age of onset
- smoking history
- allergies
- disease progression
- symptoms
- life expectancy

Answer 5

Asthma
- under 40
- exposure may increase risk
- allergies are common
- stable (no disease progression)
- symptoms are intermittent
- normal life expectancy

COPD
- over 40
- 80-90% are smokers
- rare for allergies to induce it
- disease is progressive
- symptoms are persistent
- reduced life expectancy

Question 6

What is a COPD?

Answer 6

• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• a result/ strongly associated with smoking
• many symptoms (shortness of breath, chronic cough, phlegm production…)

Question 7

Levels of treatment for pulmonary diseases in order

Answer 7

• SABA/SAMA
• LABA/LAMA or both or both w ICS
• pulmonary rehab
• oral therapies
• oxygen +/- NIV
• lung transplantation