Treatment of Asthma and COPD COPY Flashcards
What is the pathogenesis and features of asthma?
Pathogenesis - Acute and Chronic inflammatory responses.
Features - Airway narrowing (reversible), airway hyper-responsiveness and airway inflammation
What are the goals of treatment?
- No daytime symptoms,
- No waking due to asthma,
- No need for rescue meds,
- No asthma attacks,
- No limits on exercise,
- Normal lung function,
- Minimal side effects
Name some of the different inhaler devices?
- MDI = metered dose inhaler.
- Breath-actuated
- Autohaler,
- Accuhaler (dry powder)
- Or via spacer/aerochamber
Describe features of nebulised route?
It uses O2, compressed air or unltrasonic powder to break up drug solutions into a fine mist. It therefore gives high doses of reliever meds in acute asthma to get fast responses. This means higher risk of side effects.
What are the 5 pharmacological steps in treating asthma?
1) Intermittent reliever therapy,
2) Regular preventer therapy,
3) Initial add-on therapy
4) Additional controller therapy,
5) Specialist therapies
What are the main 5 drug groups used in the treatment and prevention of asthma and name an example.
1) Beta 2-adrenoceptor agonists (short acting eg, salbutamol. Long acting, salmeterol)
2) Glucocorticoids eg, Beclomethasone or Budesonide.
3) Cystienyl Leukotriene antagonists (LTRA) eg, Montelukast.
4) Methylxanthines eg, Theophylline
5) Monoclonal antibodies (anti-IgE treatment) eg, Omalizumab
Describe the mechanism of action of Beta 2-adrenoceptors
- Stimulate bronchial smooth muscle beta receptors, relaxing muscle, dilating airways and reducing breathlessness.
- They inhibit mediator release from mast cells and infiltrating leucocytes.
- Increases ciliary action which aids mucus clearance
What medications would you give in step 1 and 3 of the treatment of asthma?
1) Short acting beta agonist (SABA) (these are fast acting, lasting up to 5 hours and are used as required for breathlessness)
3) Long acting beta agonist (LABA) These are given regularly with inhaled steroid. Used to prevent bronchospasm. Never used as fast acting reliever
What are some of the side effects of beta 2 agonists?
If given orally/I.V or high dose inhaled
- Sympathomimetic effects,
- Muscle pain/cramps,
- Electrolyte disturbances (hypokalaemia).
- Hyperglycaemia,
- Paradoxical bronchospasm (rare)
What are the features of inhaled corticosteroids (ISC)? and what step are they used in?
Step 2. When patients are using SABA more than 3x weekly or symptomatic. eg, waking at night with wheeze, asthma attack in last 2 years. Disadvantages - Due to longer term effects (slow onset) over months the adherence is vital
Describe the mechanism of action of inhaled corticosteroids
- Binds to glucocorticoid receptors which modifies the immune response.
- Inhibition of formation of cytokines, the activation and and recruitment of inflammatory cells,
- Reduces mucosal oedema due to inhibition of inflammatory prostaglandins and leukotrienes.
Name examples of corticosteroids used in asthma
Inhaled route (beclomethasone), Oral (prednisolone) and IV (hydrocortisone) but last 2 in acute severe attacks.
What are the side effects of corticosteroids
- Oropharangeal candidiasis,
- Dysphonia (horseness)
- Systemic eg, osteoporosis, adrenal insufficiency and growth retardation)
What is the mechanism of action of leukotriene receptor antagonists and name some examples?
Montelukast.
- Block the effects of bronchoconstricting cysteinyl leukotrienes in the airways.
- Reduces eosinophil recruitment to airways
What are the side effects of LTRAa?
Abdominal pain, headaches and hyperkinesia in children (hyper active and unable to concentrate)