Week 5 - Respiratory Disorder Flashcards
What are restrictive disorders
A disorder caused by decreased lung elasticity or other causes inhibiting lung expansions. This type of disorder affects inspiration
What are obstructive disorders
Disorders associated with the narrowing or obstruction of airways.
This obstruction often results from structural changes or inflammation in the air passages, leading to symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath
This disorder affects expiration.
e.g. COPD, asthma
What is asthma
heterogenous disease, usually characterized by chronic airway inflammation and variable expiratory airflow obstruction.
What are asthma attacks
- Unpredictable, disabling attacks of severe dyspnea, coughing and wheezing triggered by sudden episodes of bronchospasms
- May be virtually asymptomatic between attacks
- May rarely be fatal in state of unremitting attacks (450 deaths per year in Australia)
- Significant reduction in forced expiratory volume (FEV) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR)
What does asthma cause
- airway inflammation which makes the airways more sensitive to various triggers like allergens, pollution, smoke ect
- Bronchoconstriction causing the airways to narrow, restricting airflow into and out of the lungs
what are 2 types of asthma
- allergic (atopic)
- non-allergic (non atopic)
What is allergic (atopic) asthma
asthma which is primarily triggered by allergens like pollen, dust mites, pets. It is associated with a hypersensitive immune response
- Childhood onset
- Allergic triggers
- IgE mediated
- Th2 dependent
- Mast cells, basophils, eosinophils involved
What are the stages in allergic (atopic) asthma - type 1 hypersensitivity reaction
- exposure to antigen
- sensitization stage - asymptomatic
- effect stage - anaphylactic or atopic immune response (early phase, and late phase)
what is the sensitisation stage occur
During the initial encounter to an allergen the allergen is processed by the immune cells as a foreign invader but no allergic symptoms occur at this stage
When does the early phase of the effect stage occur
First 15min
What occurs in the early phase of the effect stage
mast cell degranulation
- bronchoconstriction and wheezing, increased mucus production, variable degrees of vasodilation and increased vascular permeability
- Mediators produced by mast cells and basophils trigger bronchoconstriction by direct stimulation or subepithelial vagal (parasympathetic) receptors
When does the late phase of the effect stage occur
4-6 hours after exposure
what occurs in the late phase of the effect stage
- Cellular inflammation
- recruitment of leukocytes, notably eosinophils, neutrophils, and T cells
- Cellular infiltration, fibrin deposition, and tissue destruction resulting from the sustained allergic response cause increased bronchial reactivity, oedema and further inflammatory cell recruitment
What are non allergic asthma
not related to allergies, it is instead triggered by factors like respiratory infections (e.g. colds, flu), cold air, exercise, stress or exposure to irritants (smoke,)
- Adult onset
- Triggers often unknown
- Non-IgE mediated
- T cell dependence unclear
- neutrophils involved
What are drugs which can induce non allergic asthma
- aspirin
- codeine and morphine
what are treatments for asthma
- B2-adrenoceptor agonist e.g. Salbutamol (ventolin)
- Methylxanthines e.g. theophylline
- Inhaled corticosteroids (preventers)
what do B2-adrenoceptor agonist e.g. Salbutamol (ventolin) do
Bronchodilators - which relaxes airway smooth muscle
This mimics the actions of adrenaline - allows deeper breathing
May be used in all patients with asthma
Longer term can decrease saliva production (xerostomia —> increased risk of caries)
What do Methylxanthines do
Bronchodilator - relaxes the airway smooth muscle
Bronchodilators which can only be given oral ( or through IV)
Weak anti-inflammatory actions
- Bronchodilators may exacerbate gastro-esophageal reflux and can contribute to enamel erosion
What do inhaled corticosteroids (preventer) do
preventative treatment for asthma
- useful anti-inflammatory agents for acute severe asthma (beclomethasone, budesonide)
- Reduces inflammatory cell numbers and decreases airway hyper-responsiveness to non-specific stimuli and antigens
- Directly inhibitory effect on T-cells, eosinophils,
- Increases the risk of oral candidiasis - advise patient to rinse mouth with water after using their preventer inhaler
How do dental environments influence asthma
- Create an environment with an increased risk of an asthmatic attack through dental materials and products which may exacerbate asthma - dentifrices, sealants, acrylics, tooth enamel dust and aerosols etc.
- Medications: Aspirin and other NSAIDS, some opioid analgesics (codeine)
- Anxiety and stress which can trigger asthma
What is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a group of progressive lung diseases that cause airflow blockage and breathing-related problems.
- caused by an overreaction of the immune system
What are the 2 conditions which make up chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD
- Chronic Bronchitis
- Emphysema
What are the main caused of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Smoking (main cause)
- Environmental factors - long term exposure to lung irritants - chemical vapors, pollutants, and dust from grain or wood
- Genetic - a disorder known as alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency can trigger emphysema, even if no other risk factors are present
What is chronic bronchitis
a persistent cough with sputum production for at least 3 months in at least 2 consecutive years in the absence of any other identifiable cause. - is caused as the bronchial tube has an increased amount of mucus
What does chronic bronchitis do to the body
Mucus hypersecretion due to enlarged submucosal glands and an increase in goblet cells which secrete mucus. This causes airways to narrow by the thickness of the mucosa
Progression of chronic bronchitis (what chronic bronchitis can cause in the heart)
- reduced flow of air and hence reduced oxygen levels in the blood (hypozemia)
- pulmonary hypertension
- increased right ventricular load - to overcome the increased resistance in the pulmonary arteries
- right ventricular hypertrophy - where the right ventricle becomes thickened as it tried to pump blood against the high pressure in the lungs
- Right sided heart failure
What is emphysema
the irreversible enlargement of airspaces distal to terminal bronchioles with destruction to their walls.
Reduces elastic recoil of the lungs, causing a reduced pressure for expiratory flow