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chronic asthma pathophysiology
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Introduction
Respiratory disorder mostly affect the upper or the lower respiratory tract, however bacterial or viral infection are the causative agent and the disease is common in all ages. In addition, the lungs and the bronchi can also be affected causing inflammation and obstruction of the airflow resulting to wheezing, chest tightness, stridor, low grade fever, cough, and hemoptysis due severe damage to the lung tissues. Some common disease condition of the respiratory system are pneumonia, croup, asthma, bronchitis, or laryngitis, and tuberculosis, affected disease location determines the signs and symptoms. Hereditary and environmental factors such as allergens and other irritants can be a contributory factors, especially in children. The vulnerability among this group is associated with the respiratory compromise as a result of incomplete airway development (Huether & McCance, 2012).
The purpose of this paper is to describe the pathophysiology mechanisms of chronic asthma and acute asthma exacerbation, and explanation of arterial blood gas pattern during an asthma exacerbation. Also, explain how age 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, the construction of two mind maps for chronic asthma and asthma exacerbation including its epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment.
Pathophysiology of Chronic Asthma
Chronic asthma occur when the bronchial mucus membrane are continuously irritated by allergen or irritants initiating inflammatory reaction causing mucosal edema and bronchial spasm causing coughing, wheezing, and sometimes shortness of breath. ...
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...nt of asthma depend on the severity, asthma exacerbation needs immediate care with oxygen administration, exercise of the lungs using incentive spirometry, beta-agonist bronchodilator inhaler to relax the smooth muscles. The arterial gas result will determine the presence of alkalosis or acidosis, and mechanical ventilation is needed in the presence of acidosis (Huether & McCance, 2012).
Conclusion
Chronic asthma and asthma exacerbation can affect all ages, however people with chronic asthma should have their inhaler at all times and asthma exacerbation needs immediate medical attention to stop the bronchial spasm and maintain the normal PH by reversing the acidosis caused by retention of CO2. The triggering factors should be eliminated, since ages (especially children and elderly) are predominantly affected, bronchodilator inhaler and immediate help is recommended.
Asthma itself is an inflammatory disease characterized by increased airway responsiveness due to a variety of stimulus. The inflammation causes the hyper-responsiveness than in turn causes bronchiolar smooth muscle constriction, resulting in obstruction of airflow. Some “triggers” of asthma include:
Saunders has a history of asthma and in conjunction with a respiratory assessment an asthma assessment will be required. A brief patient history is needed to evaluate, looking for a history of rapid onset, exaggerated use of β-agonists and mechanical ventilation for asthma. Symptoms sound is taken into account, in the case of Mr. Saunders he is experiencing shortness of breath, speaking in short sentences, presenting wheezing, flushed appearance as well as dyspnoea. Additionally, the severity of the symptoms should be taken into account, how often they occur and whether they cause exercise limitations or nocturnal wakening (Kaufman, 2012). It is also important to establish any medications whether it be prescribed, over the counter, or herbal remedies that the patient may be taking as some medications have been known to exacerbate asthma (Kaufman, 2012). In addition to exploring clinical history, it is also important to obtain objective data to support the diagnosis (Kaufman, 2012). Physical examinations are a part of an asthma assessment and are very essential to help backup the diagnosis. Respiratory rate, heart rate and pulse paradoxus are all sections of the physical examination. In conjunction with these a spirometry is also required. A spirometry is best pathway of identifying airflow obstruction which will make a definitive diagnosis of asthma (Kaufman, 2012). This assessment required the patient to use maximum force to expel the air from their lungs, as fast and hard as possible. This process is measure over 1 second and conducted 3 times, thus the highest recording of the three is taken (Kaufman, 2012). A result lower than 70% strongly indicates airway obstruction; hence lower the ratio, the more severity of the obstruction (Kaufman,
Imagine a young child competing with his or her fellow classmates during recess and immediately losing the ability to breathe normally. He or she stops in the middle of the competition and falls to the ground while holding his or her chest trying to find air. When you are young, being able to keep up with your peers during recess and sporting events is very important, however, having asthma restricts this. Asthma has a significant impact on childhood development and the diagnosis of asthma for children 18 years and younger has dramatically increased over the years. Asthma is known as a “chronic inflammation of the small and large airways” with “evident bronchial hyper-responsiveness, airflow obstruction, and in some patients, sub-basement fibrosis and over-secretion of mucus” (Toole, 2013). The constant recreation of the lung walls can even occur in young children and “lead to permanent lung damages and reduced lung function” (Toole, 2013). While one of the factors is genetics, many of the following can be prevented or managed. Obesity, exposure to secondhand smoke, and hospitalization with pneumonia in the early years of life have all been suggested to increase children’s risk of developing asthma.
Secondly, severe asthma can be life-threatening. Suffering from asthma can be frightening to experience and people often feel scared and anxious. The fear and scare can also lead to breathlessness and so mak...
Asthma is chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways characterized by recurring episodes of wheeling and breathlessness. It often exists with allergies and can be worsened through exposure to allergens. In fact, asthma is complicated syndromes that have neither single definition nor complete explanation to the point. In light of its treatment, it is worthwhile to notice that asthma cannot be cured, instead can be only managed by avoiding exposure to allergens and/or by using medications regularly.
... that a physician may perform when diagnosing asthma include: Chest X-rays Skin allergy tests Serum total IGE levels Nasal examinations Diagnosis in Infants: Physicians depend on parents to be observant and take notes. However, research has shown that starting asthma medications immediately, and treating wheezing, may help with diagnosis and meanwhile, help the child. References Asthma’ the Introductory material excerpted from book: ‘Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment, Ed 37, Pg: 256-257 Some procedures of Diagnosis adapted from ‘ Diagnosis of Asthma’ website accessed on 20/05/2003 www.clearbreathing.com/disease/asthma_diagnosis.asp Respiratory system material gathered from: Introductory Anatomy: Respiratory System Dr D.R.Johnson, Center for Human Biology, retrieved on 20/05/2003, from: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/chb/lectures/anatomy7.html
Chronic bronchitis is a disorder that causes inflammation to the airway, mainly the bronchial tubules. It produces a chronic cough that lasts three consecutive months for more than two successive years (Vijayan,2013). Chronic Bronchitis is a member of the COPD family and is prominently seen in cigarette smokers. Other factors such as air pollutants, Asbestos, and working in coal mines contributes to inflammation. Once the irritant comes in contact with the mucosa of the bronchi it alters the composition causing hyperplasia of the glands and producing excessive sputum (Viayan,2013). Goblet cells also enlarge to contribute to the excessive secretion of sputum. This effects the cilia that carry out the mechanism of trapping foreign bodies to allow it to be expelled in the sputum, which are now damaged by the irritant making it impossible for the person to clear their airway. Since the mechanism of airway clearance is ineffective, the secretion builds up a thickened wall of the bronchioles causing constriction and increasing the work of breathing. The excessive build up of mucous could set up pneumonia. The alveoli are also damaged enabling the macrophages to eliminate bacteria putting the patient at risk for acquiring an infection.
A person who experiences perpetual shortness of breath or hears a whistle-like sound in their chest when they breathe, is more than likely to have asthma. Asthma is a chronic disease/condition in which the airways in a person’s body are inflamed and produce extra mucus, which makes breathing troublesome. In addition, the bronchial tubes, passageways that allow air to enter the lungs and come back out, are narrowed, which makes it even more difficult to breathe. Breathing is essential for humans to survive and carries out important functions in our bodies. This disease is very common in the United States, about 1 in 12 people (about 25 million) have asthma, and the numbers are increasing every year.
Most of you may not think of asthma as a killer disease, yet more that 5,000 Americans die of asthma each year. According to the Mayo Clinic web page, asthma also accounts for more that 400,000 hospital discharges annually. As the number of people with asthma increases, the more likely you are to come in contact with a person who has the disease. As far as I can remember, I have had asthma my whole life. My mother and one of my sisters also have asthma, so I have a first hand experience with it. This morning, I will discuss some interesting facts about asthma, I will specifically focus on what it is, warning signs, symptoms, causes, and the treatments that are used.
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.
In asthmatic disorder, there is a complex interaction among inflammatory cells, mediators and the cells and tissues in the airways that cause bronchospasm resulting from increased responsiveness of the smooth muscle in the bronchioles to external stimuli. This response,
You may have symptoms only at certain times. For instance, when you playing or exercising, but they can occur all the time. An asthma attack can happen because of different symptoms; stressing too much, anticipation, and the weather itself. Asthma can impact people in different ways. Some people might break out with an attack from certain foods, and others might have an asthma attack because of someone’s fragrance. There are four levels of asthma; the Mild Intermittent, Mild Persistent, Moderate Persistent, and Severe Persistent. According to Fox (2014) Level one, Mild Intermittent asthma, does not have problems with flare ups, but one may experience night time symptoms. Level two, Mild Persistent asthma, shows symptoms two times a week, but not more than once a day. Activity levels may be affected by the flare ups and night time symptoms that occur more than twice a month. Level three which is Moderate Persistent
Patients with this condition experience an attack when exposed to stimulating factors, such as dust, smoke, perfume, animals and pollen among others. The stimulus causes inflammation on the walls of bronchus, causing the secretion of mucus. The muscles of bronchus also respond by causing repetitive spasms that constrict muscles of the bronchioles in the lungs. Stress and panic during an
Asthma is a disease that currently has no cure and can only be controlled and managed through different treatment methods. If asthma is treated well it can prevent the flare up of symptoms such as coughing, diminish the dependence on quick relief medication, and help to minimize asthma attacks. One of the key factors to successful treatment of asthma is the creation of an asthma action plan with the help of a doctor that outlines medications and other tasks to help control the patient’s asthma ("How Is Asthma Treated and Controlled?"). The amount of treatment changes based on the severity of the asthma when it is first diagnosed and may be the dosage may be increased or decreased depending on how under control the patient’s asthma is. One of the main ways that asthma can be controlled is by becoming aware of the things that trigger attacks. For instance staying away from allergens such as pollen, animal fur, and air pollution can help minimize and manage the symptoms associated with asthma. Also if it is not possible to avoid the allergens that cause a patient’s asthma to flare up, they may need to see an allergist. These health professionals can help diagnosis what may need to be done in other forms of treatment such as allergy shots that can help decrease the severity of the asthma ("How Is Asthma Treated and Controlled?").
In particular, the pathophysiology of asthma is complicated due to the inflammation involves result in oedema of the airways, airway obstruction and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. It has been suggested that asthma can be divided into two main pathophysiology process. Firstly, the early phase asthmatic reaction. Clinically has a short reaction