Bronchodilators: A Case Study

Protein pump inhibitors are a group of treatments that work by reducing the amount of stomach acid made by parietal glands in the lining of the stomach. PPIs are used to relieve symptoms of acid reflux, peptic ulcers, and treat damage to the lower esophagus caused by acid reflux, caused by certain diseases like GERD and ZES. PPIs function by completely blocking the production of stomach acid for a certain amount of time. Currently used PPIs in clinical practice are omeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole, rabeprazole, esomeprazole, and dexlansoprazole. These medication are taken by mouth in various tablets, thirty minutes before the first meal of the day. Some brands of PPIs can be obtained over the counter while others with a physician’s

Sympathomimetics are medications that mimic the effects of neurotransmitter substances of the sympathetic nervous system (Karch, 2013, p.930). These medications stimulate the ‘fight or flight’ response and can cause the bronchi to dilate with increased rate and depth of respiration. Thus, these drugs are used to treat lower respiratory tract disorders. Anticholinergics are medications that block the action of acetylcholine on the parasympathetic nervous system. These medications are used to treat lower respiratory disorder because they can dilate the bronchi and reduce

Possible side effects: “dry mouth, sedation, blurred vision (disturbance of accommodation, increased intra-ocular pressure), constipation, nausea, difficulty with micturition; cardiovascular side-effects (such as ECG changes, arrhythmias, postural hypotension, tachycardia, syncope, particularly with high doses); sweating, tremor, rashes and hypersensitivity reactions (including urticaria, photosensitivity), behavioural disturbances (particularly children), hypomania or mania, confusion or delirium (particularly elderly), headache, interference with sexual function, blood sugar changes; increased appetite and weight gain (occasionally weight loss); endocrine side-effects such as testicular enlargement, gynaecomastia, galactorrhoea; also convulsions (see also Cautions), movement disorders and dyskinesias, dysarthria, paraesthesia, taste disturbances, tinnitus, fever, agranulocytosis, leucopenia, eosinophilia, purpura, thrombocytopenia, hyponatraemia

A type of bronchodilator, aminophylline is a type of muscle relaxation medicine that helps lungs and chest circulate oxygen better. It is used to treat and prevent wheezing, restricted breathing and shortness of breath. The medicine is usually prescribed to those with bronchitis, asthma and lung diseases. As this medication requires a prescription, it is very important for a user to follow the instructions prescribed and take only at the times and the amount prescribed by his or her physician. Aminophylline can be in the form of liquid syrup, a pill or a cream. How this drug works is by making the lungs less sensitive to any allergens or foreign substances that may be inhaled, thus causing the muscles to relax in the chest and lungs and opening up the air passages so that breathing can be easier. It also increases the contractions in the diaphragm which aids better breathing patterns.

There are many different ways to treat and manage asthma symptoms. Usually steroids are used to take care of asthma but there are some other treatments too. Bronchodilators are one of those treatments. There are many kinds of bronchodilators and work by opening the airway. A few different bronchodilators are Short-term B2 agonists and Long-term B2 agonists. Short term bronchodilators are what rescue inhalers primarily are. These “provide quick, temporary relief from asthma symptoms or flare-ups” says Gstatic.com Long-term B2 agonists are preventatives to try and not let symptoms arrive in the first place. Steroids and steroidal inhalers are some more short term symptom managers. They work by stimulating hormones in your body to reduce inflammation

2 Patients must demonstrate no response to acid suppression (high-dose PPI for 6-8 weeks), while symptoms should improve with dietary eliminations and/or corticosteroids. Esophageal biopsy must demonstrate at least 15 eosinophils/high-power field and normal mucosa in the stomach and duodenum, and other causes of esophageal eosinophilia must be excluded. 2 Of note, there is a subgroup of patients with PPI-responsive eosinophilia. In this group, GERD is excluded but histopathology demonstrates eosinophil-predominant inflammation. Less is known regarding this condition and treatments for this subgroup.

NICE COPD guidelines have made specific recommendations regarding the use of inhaled long-acting bronchodilators and inhaled steroids separately and in combination, but newer studies have assessed these drugs singly and in combination over longer periods of time.

When suffering from GERD, it is important to know how to adjust in order to decrease the likelihood from suffering from signs and symptoms of this disease. A person with GERD should try to figure out what kind of food triggers the reflux. There are many foods that may irritate our stomach, for example, coffee, alcohols, tomatoes, and fatty foods, however, each and every one of us may be sensitive for a particular food/beverage and once we find out what it is we have to eliminate it. It is also crucial to decrease the size of our meal. If we are prone to acid reflux, it is important that we don’t lie flat for three hours after we have eaten a meal or snack.

Stevens, the dose should not be more than 2mg up to 4 times a day. This dose may be slowly increased, up to 32mg per day. The purpose of Albuterol is to dilate the bronchioles and prevent airway obstruction caused by the COPD. Due to its adrenergic properties, common side effects include nervousness, restlessness, tremor, headache, chest pain, and palpitations. Excessive use of inhalers could result in paradoxical bronchospasm. Albuterol binds to adrenergic receptors which lead to increased levels of cAMP. Kinases are activated by cAMP, inhibit the phosphorylation of myosin, and decrease intracellular calcium; intracellular calcium relaxes the smooth muscle airways. The nurse should assess the lung sounds, pulse and blood pressure before administering albuterol, and should be aware that nebulized forms of the medication may result in temporary low levels of potassium. Pulmonary function tests should be monitored prior to and during treatment. Mr. Stevens should prime the unit with four sprays before using, and should contact his primary care physician if shortness of breath is not relieved, or it is joined by diaphoresis, palpitations, dizziness, or chest pain. Mr. Stevens should also discard his canister after 200 sprays (Vallerand, 116).

The American Association for Respiratory Care is a non-profit organization which provides numerous resources for registered respiratory therapists all over the United States. Membership through the AARC renders an abundance of incentives such as professional development, respiratory care education, social networking opportunities, continuing education programs and much more. The American Association for Respiratory Care truly believes in the cause of respiratory therapy and in the rights of their patients to receive competent respiratory care. Their advocacy team works with local, state and federal governments concerning public policies that affect their patients as well as their profession.

One of the main type of these medications are short acting beta2-agonists. These medications relax the muscles that line the airways that carry air to the lungs. These medications start to work within 5 minutes of administration but only last for 3-6 hours. Quick relief medications are used in conjunction with controller medications. They are available in multiple forms but the inhaled form is preferred. Inhaled medications dilate bronchial tubes better, cause fewer side effects and act faster with a longer duration than oral forms. Research has shown that using the short-acting beta2 agonists with Ipratropium during severe episodes result in better outcomes or the asthmatic. These medications are often overused causing a reduction in the effectiveness of them. These not only can be used for acute exacerbations but are used prophylactically before exercise. Examples of these are Albuterol, Levabuterol. Metaproterenol, and Terbutaline. Ipratropium is an Anticholinergic that causes bronchodilation and is often used in conjunction with beta2-agonists when they alone are ineffective in treating acute asthma exacerbations. This medication provides competitive inhibition of muscarinic cholinergic receptors which helps to open the airway on the cellular level. It reduces intrinsic vagal tones of the airway and it may help to decrease mucus gland secretions. Corticosteroids, even though they take longer to

CF is an autosomal recessive disorder that is predominately found in European decent. It affects various systems in the human body, however, it is the respiratory system that contributes to the high mortality rate due to pulmonary decline. This is due to a mutation in the CFTR gene, depending on what mutational class it falls under can indicate the severity of their clinical outcomes. The lack or complete absence of functionality of the CFTR gene results in mucus accumulation in the airways, which consequently makes them more prone to infections that may hasten their lung deterioration and even endanger their lives. Even though there is no cure for CF a number therapeutic classes are implemented usually in concomitant with each other to delay progression of lung disease and provide symptomatic relief.

Description/Synopsis: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are used for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) due to their potential to inhibit gastric acid production. Unfortunately, high doses of PPIs are associated with adverse health outcomes. The use of PPIs has been shown to affect the absorption of minerals and vitamin-like calcium, iron and vitamin B12. Not only the risk of other severe conditions like hyperparathyroidism, diarrhea and pneumonia increases upon the long-term use of PPIs but the negative effects also extend to coronary heart disease and atherosclerotic diseases. PPIs reduce the efficacy of the drug clopidogrel which inhibits platelet activation thereby contributing to coronary heart disease and myocardial

With his diagnosis of GERD, the clinician will advise the patient to take a PPI once a day in the morning. Prilosec OTC would be a good starting point for the control of his discomfort. She would instruct the patient to take this medication first thing in the morning before eating or drinking anything. The following is an example schedule of how the patient could take his medications. It includes all recommended medications for CAD, HTN, GERD, and COPD. The original excel spreadsheet will be attached as a separate document for easier viewing.

The build up of stomach acid may cause irritation and excess pain to individuals. Luckily, antacids being a weak base can help relieve the symptoms and pain. Antacids, such as Gelusil, Medi-Firs, Alka Seltzer, and Alcalak are neutralizing agents of acids that become helpful to the human body when heartburn occurs. Heartburn, also known as acid reflux is a common medical issue that occurs when hydrochloric acid (HCl) from the stomach moves backward along the digestive track to the esophagus (located within the throat). This reverse flow of fluids causes a burning sensation due to and possible sour taste that is characteristic of acids [1].