The Pathophysiology Of Asthma

At Camp Wapiti, I was fortunate enough to be a co-counselor in the cabin that had the highest amount of prophylactic asthma medications. I had the opportunity to see most of my campers involved with taking several prevention medications. Most common was the Advair Diskus, typically dosed at 1 puff BID. The long acting B2 agonist and corticosteroid seemed to control the children quite well throughout the week’s activities. One child used Flovent 110 at 2 puffs QD (which I found odd considering Flovent is typically dosed at BID due to the half-life being 7.8 hours). Many children were also on Singular 4 or 5mg QHS – the most common leukotriene receptor antagonist on the market. These prevention medications were used exclusively by the children in need of a controlled medication due to their specific triggers, i.e. exercise etc. Several of the children were on medications typically for allergy prevention and were now being used for off-label indications to prevent an allergy induced asthma attack. These include Flonase (inhaled nasal corticosteroid) at 2 puffs in each nare BID, and a variety of oral anti-histamines – cetirizine/loratadine for AM doses and diphenhydramine for PM doses. One child had PRN use of a prednisone titrating dose, but was controlled enough throughout the week that he never needed to use it.

While unfortunately asthma is not a curable disease, for most asthmatics its can be well controlled meaning there will less symptoms or flare-ups and limits to your life. With correct medication, knowledge about the disease and skills, asthma shouldn’t stop you. There are many treatment options available when it comes to asthma. Asthma treatments vary from your basic asthma inhalers to steroids and other anti-inflammatory medicines and asthma nebulizer (Breathing Machine). (Anon., n.d.) The role that medical practitioners play with asthma is a very precise job. This role includes assessment, diagnosis, prescription of regular medications, provision of written action plans, and regular review as well as managing asthma flare-ups. Asthma-related visits to a general practitioner may occur for a variety of reasons, including: the acute or reactive management of asthma symptoms, a visit for maintenance activities, such as monitoring and prescription of regular medications and referral to other health professionals. (Anon.,

Asthma is a chronic disorder of the airways that is characterized by reversible airway obstruction, cellular infiltration, and airway inflammation. The response involves the interplay of genetic and environmental factors, as well as the activation of cells in the innate and adaptive immune systems.1 (Hall, S.C et al. 2016)

To better understand the impact of asthma, a brief overview of the causes (aetiology) and disease progression (pathophysiology) must be shown. As common as asthma is, not much is known about its aetiology, according to findings presented by Subbaroa, Mandhane and Sears (2009, pg. 181-187) in a review from the Canadian

On our honor, we pledge that we have neither given nor received any unauthorized assistance on this case study

Asthma is a respiratory disease that many people deal with every single day. “According to World Health Organization, approximately 180,000 people die from asthma each year.” (Jardins and Burton 187) Most people never think of asthma as a life threatening disease, but it can be crucial. As the number of people with asthma increases, the more likely you are to come in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with this disease. Asthma is a severe breathing problem that has many complications that is dealt with daily like shortness of breath, chronic cough, tightness of the chest and shortness of breath, my main focus is childhood asthma, allergic asthma, and medication to treat asthma.

Asthma is a chronic condition affecting the respiratory system and has a considerable impact on both individuals and a population. Everybody is susceptible to asthma, some more than others, depending of a variety of factors including, age, sex, geographical location and income. Asthma is particularly prevalent in younger children and the elderly and while it can be fatal, most people have mild cases of asthma that are relatively easy to treat. The condition mainly impacts an individual’s physical ability to contribute to a community.

Serious respiratory diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, are a leading cause of morbidity and death worldwide. Asthma, a chronic disease that involves inflammation of the airways, bronchoconstriction, and intermittent (usually reversible) airflow obstruction, also affects numerous individuals worldwide. Both COPD and asthma are common obstructive lung disorders that affect over 49 million people in the US (1). While the pathology of asthma and COPD are distinct, both diseases share some features. Asthma is often a childhood disease, but some patients manifest symptoms or develop the disease as adults.

Asthma is best described as a chronic inflammation the pulmonary lower airways because of hyperresponsiveness of lower airway obstructions that is usually reversible (Fireman, 2003). Asthma is triggered by cold air, exercise, viral upper respiratory infections, cigarette smoking, and respiratory allergens. One in 12 people in the United States has been diagnosed with asthma which is approximately 25 million people which accounts for 8% of the total population (AAAAI, 2016). It is estimated that the average cost for care of asthma in the United States is about $3,300.00 yearly in related medical expenses, missed school, missed worked days and early death (AAAAI, 2016). The purpose of this paper is to describe the long-term treatment

As the world population grows, so does the amount of people in this world with Asthma. “In the last decade, the proportion of people with Asthma in the USA grew nearly 15%, with 479,300 hospitalizations and 1.9 million emergency department visits in 2009 alone”(Kaur, Bani Preet). Asthma affects the bronchi, bringing of air into and out of the lungs. When an Asthma attack happens, the airways or passages to the lungs, swell up and close so the air passing through is very minimal, causing air not to be able to reach the lungs and pain to the person. In most cases it is not deadly unless not handled properly. This disease causes it to be harder to stay active than it is for others. It is easily manageable if properly diagnosed and properly treated. “4 million americans under 18 have Asthma” (Bronson). It is mistaken in young children for their crying and hiccuping is mistaken for Asthma. Especially when they are sick since they are unable to speak. Asthma is a painful

If triggers can be identified and eliminated or exposure can be reduced, the child’s symptoms will arise less often and their overall quality of life will improve. Another huge teaching point for parents and patients is recognizing the signs and symptoms of an asthma attack. There are specific signs and symptoms associated with asthma, if patients and family can recognize and effectively respond to these, there is a better chance of controlling the asthma and reducing the risk for complications. A third priority patient education topic is how to use spirometers and inhalers. Asthma requires devices to measure the airflow and the medications must be properly administered to facilitate the effectiveness of

Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by episodes in which the bronchioles constrict due to oversensitivity. In asthma, the airways (bronchioles) constrict making it difficult to get air in or out of the lungs. Breathlessness is the main symptom. The bronchi and bronchioles become inflamed and constricted. Asthmatics usually react to triggers. Triggers are substances and situations that would not normally trouble an asthma free person. Asthma is either extrinsic or intrinsic. Extrinsic is when the inflammation in the airway is a result of hypersensitivity reactions associated with allergy (food or pollen). Intrinsic asthma is linked to hyper responsive reactions to other forms of

As a school nurse who plays an important role in the health and well-being of the student, we all know, healthy children learn and focus better in a conducive environment. Therefore, it is very significant that she understands the pathophysiology of asthma. Asthma can be acute or chronic depending on how often the episode occurs. Asthma, as stated earlier, is not curable but can be managed well with medications and prevention of triggers in an individual. Asthma can be genetic or environmental and it affects the respiratory function in the body. Firstly, the respiratory system is one of the largest organ systems in the body. It comprises of the nasal passage, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi tubes, and lungs. The primary function

Asthma is a respiratory condition that affects 1 in 10 people and can either be severe or minor. Asthma is defined as episodes of coughing, wheezing and chest tightness, which can happen all at the same time or at separate times. There are a few different types of asthma, for example, allergic asthma and sports induced asthma. Allergic asthma is known as, inflammation as an immune response. In allergic asthma inflammation in the airways is constant even when the patient is not having any symptoms. The triggers of allergic asthma can be, dust mites, cockroaches, cats, dogs, and fungi. Since the walls of the airways are thickened already because of the inflammation, when the bronchospasms occur the airways get

Asthma is a chronic airway disease that can be difficult to manage, resulting in poor outcomes and high costs (Kuhn et al., 2015). It is characterized by episodes of expiratory airflow obstruction, which occurs in response to multiple stimuli or triggers. Asthma is a lifelong disease, and symptoms include wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. Attacks can be mild, moderate, severe, or even life threatening and limit a person’s way of life (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2011). There is no known cure for asthma, but symptoms can be controlled by avoiding the triggers and taking prescribed medicines that prevent or minimize symptoms.