Asthm Common Respiratory Disease That Affects The Bronchioles Airway

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airway that impacts a person’s and their family’s quality of life. In people with asthma, their airway becomes constricted with swelling and excessive mucous. This constriction or narrowing of the airway makes it difficult for the person with asthma to breath (Massachusetts Department of Public Health, 2009). If asthma is left uncontrolled, it leads to further wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, tiredness, and stress. (Massachusetts Department of Public Health, 2009).

Acute bronchitis is one of the most common diagnoses encountered in a primary care setting. It affects millions of individuals resulting in significant impact on health of patients and health care industry. Studies have shown that 90% of times acute bronchitis is caused by a virus, yet health care providers are failing to treat or manage these patients with appropriate therapies (Knutson & Braun, 2002). The focus of this paper is to review the guidelines for treatment of acute bronchitis after differentiating acute bronchitis from other common respiratory disease in terms of epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical features, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, complications and patient education. Understanding the evaluation and treatment guidelines, nurse practitioners can provide evidence-based practice for patients with acute bronchitis.

➢ Inhaled air enters the nasal cavity, where it is cleaned, warmed and humidified on its way through the pharynx.

I’m finally in the lung. I can finally see what it looks like. I see a structure that looks like a three without leaves. I am passing the right primary bronchi. It is a tube like structure that allow for the passage of air between the trachea and lung (Health Type, 2012). As I move along the right primary bronchi branches off into the right secondary bronchi. Each one of the bronchi serves as an airway to a specific lobe of the lung (Wikipedia, 2011). The bronchi have cartilage plates, smooth muscles, and mucus-secreting gland cells in its wall (Wikipedia, 2011). They contain cilia, which removes dust and debris. Wow! The right secondary bronchi are branching off into very small passageways called bronchioles. The bronchioles are responsible for controlling air distribution and airflow resistance in the lungs (Wise Geek, 2012). They also contain cilia that help move air through the system. The bronchioles are now terminating at the alveolar ducts. They are the tiny end ducts that fill the lungs. At the end of

The purpose of this paper is to describe the pathophysiology of chronic asthma and acute asthma exacerbation, with explanation of arterial blood gas pattern during an asthma exacerbation. Also, explain how ethnicity might impact pathophysiology of asthma and asthma exacerbation. The diagnosis and treatment plan needed to relieve the presented signs and symptoms will be reviewed. Lastly, constructs two mind maps for chronic asthma and asthma exacerbation including its epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment.

The effect of asthma can range from mild, irregular symptoms causing minor problems for an individual to severe and sudden asthma attacks. The extent of what causes asthma is not well known or fully understood but some common triggers include, cold temperatures, dust mites, cockroaches, pollen, sickness, mould and animal hair. When triggered, the airways in the lungs become inflamed and constricted causing shortness of breath, chest pain and wheezing [R]. Currently, there is no cure for asthma however symptoms can be managed with medication and improved living standards [R]. Asthma symptoms are commonly controlled with the use of inhalers, either preventers (taken to desensitizes airways to triggers) or relievers (provides instant relief by relaxing the muscles) [16].

According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), one out of ten children have asthma in the United States (2016). “Asthma is the leading chronic disease in children, it is also the top reason for missed school days.” (AAFA, 2016, para 3). Asthma is described as the inflammation of the bronchi in the lungs. The narrowing of the bronchi makes it difficult to breath, due to the inflammation; a wheezing sound might be heard during an acute asthma attack. Bronchi are small branches in the lungs that helps deliver air or oxygen into the lungs when inhaled, and helps remove carbon dioxide out of the body during expiration. Learning the anatomy of the lungs will be beneficial in learning how asthma affects the body. When a person breaths, the air goes through the nasal cavity, to the pharynx and larynx, then to the trachea and into the lungs, where the bronchi, bronchioles and alveoli are located.

Air (oxygen) is inhaled into the body by the nose. The air is warmed filtered and moistured in the nasal cavity as the air needs to be cleaned before passing it along to the pharynx. Mucous is held in the sinus cavity. With the joint help from the mucous and the tiny hairs in the nose our nose ensures that the air is cleared of pathogens so that the air is clean to move on to the pharynx. The tiny hairs in the nose causes us to sneeze resulting in pathogens that may have been inhaled to be sneezed out and released back into the atmosphere.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Asthma is a chronic lung disease that affects the airways, which is comprised of tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. People who experience difficulties breathing have inflamed airways. The inflammation causes the tubes to swell and become sensitive, especially when inhaling strong substances. As a result, the airways tighten and the muscles around the tubes become swollen and narrower. In addition, cells in the airways might produce more mucus. This sticky and thick mucus makes it even more difficult for air to pass into the lungs.

Breathing is a vital process for every human. Normal breathing is practically effortless for most people, but those with asthma face a great challenge. During an asthma attack, breathing is hampered, making it difficult or even impossible for air to flow through the lungs. Asthma is an increasingly common problem, and has become the most common chronic childhood disease. At least 17 million Americans suffer from it(1), and although it can be fatal, it is usually not that severe(4). There is no cure for asthma, but with proper care, it can usually be controlled.

Asthmatic individuals can suffer from a reduced quality of life that is both physical and psychological. It was estimated in 2009 that approximately 17.5 million adults, and 7.1 million children suffer from asthma. An estimated total cost of this disease in 2010 was $20.7 billion dollars (Quality, 2014). This paper will focus on Pathopharmacological foundations, pathophysiology, pharmacological treatments, and the social and environmental impacts of asthma on our communities and nation.

Bronchiolitis is defined by the textbook as, “a diffuse, inflammatory obstruction in the small airways or bronchioles occurring most commonly in children” (Heuther & McCance, 2012). It is an acute inflammatory disease of the lower respiratory tract that occurs most commonly in infants and is caused by infection with seasonal viruses such as respiratory synctial virus (RSV) (Zorc & Hall, 2010). Bronchiolitis often results from an obstruction of the small airways. It is the leading cause of infant hospitalization in the United States (Zorc & Hall 2010) and is arguably the most common significant medical illness of childhood, with at least “1 in 7 normal infants developing symptomatic bronchiolitis in his or her first year of

Features of asthma include increased airway response to stimuli (internal or external to body), airway obstruction via bronchospasms, inflammation of airways, and is treatable but not curable. Asthma is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors (immune response, allergens, exercise, air pollutants, occupational factors, respiratory tract infections, nose and sinus problems, drugs and food additives, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and psychological factors). Symptoms include recurring bouts of wheezing, breathlessness, coughing, tightness in the chest; symptoms being most common at nights or early morning. The rate of Australians suffering from asthma is one of the highest in the world (8-12% of population or 2 million people) and this rate is increasing. (Kaufman 2015)

The respiratory system is the process responsible for the transportation and exchange of gases into and out of the human body. As we breath in, oxygen in the air containing oxygen is drawn into the lungs through a series of air pipes known as the airway and into the lungs. As air is drawn into the lungs and waste gas excreted, it passes through the airway, first through the mouth or nose and through the pharynx, larynx and windpipe – also known as the trachea. At this point it then enters the lungs through the bronchi before finally reaching the air sacs known as alveoli. Within the lungs, through a process known as diffusion, the oxygen is transferred to the blood stream through the alveoli (air ducts) where it is then transported inside

Air enters your lungs through a system of pipes called the bronchi. These pipes start from the bottom of the trachea as the left and right bronchi and branch many times throughout the lungs, until they eventually form little thin-walled air sacs or bubbles, known as the alveoli. The alveoli are where the important work of gas exchange takes place between the air and your blood. Covering each alveolus is a whole network of little blood vessel called capillaries, which are very small branches of the pulmonary arteries. It is important that the air in the alveoli and the blood in the capillaries are very close together, so that oxygen and carbon dioxide can move (or diffuse) between them. So, when you breathe in, air comes down the trachea and through the bronchi into