Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Copstead pathophysiology 4th edition asthma
Asthma literature review
Treatment of asthma research paper
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Copstead pathophysiology 4th edition asthma
The control of asthma in both adults and children has proven to be a challenge owing to the intricacy involved in the management of the disease. According to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA 1), the term refers to a clinical syndrome of “intermittent respiratory symptoms triggered by viral upper respiratory infections, environmental allergens or other stimuli and is characterized by nonspecific bronchial hyperesponsiveness and airways inflammation.” The severity of the disease is measured based on an individual’s lung function (FEV1), the number of times a patient uses a bronchodilator, and the symptoms a patient portrays at night (GINA 1).
The pathophysiology of Asthma includes bronchoconstriction which is the first step; refers to the narrowing of the airway as an immediate response to exposure stimuli such as allergens, aerosols or irritants. Allergen-induced acute bronchoconstriction occurs when an IgE-dependent initiate the release of mediators from mast cells including histamine, tryptase, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins which cause the contraction of airway smooth muscle (Busse and Lemanske 363). Other stimuli include cold air, irritants and exercise. Also, stress may be an exacerbating factor to an asthma attack. The next step of the disease involves the inflammation and oedema of the airway as an attack further progresses. The other changes that take place include hyper secretion of mucus, formation of “inspissated mucus plugs”, hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the smooth muscle of the airway. An attack may also be characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness which is a severe response of bronchoconstriction as a response to multiple stimuli. In very severe cases, airway remodelling may occur leading to progressive lu...
... middle of paper ...
...thma. Web. December 2012. 3 October 2013
Holgate, Stephen, and Riccardo Polosa. The Mechanisms, Diagnosis, and Management of Severe Asthma in Adults. Lancet 368.9537 (2006): 780–93. Print.
Jahdali Hamdan, Anwar Ahmed and Al-Harbi Abdullah et al. Improper Inhaler Technique is Associated with Poor Asthma Control and Frequent Emergency Department Visits. AACI 9.1 (2013) :8. Print.
Lenney, J., Innes, J.A. and Crompton, G.K. Inappropriate inhaler use: assessment of use and patient preference of seven inhalation devices. EDICI Respiratory Medicine 94.5 (2000):496-500. Print.
Melani, Andrea et al. Inhaler mishandling remains common in real life and is associated with reduced disease contro. Respiratory Medicine 105.6 (2011): 930-8. Print.
Dolvich Myrna et al. Device Selection and Outcomes of Aerosol Therapy: Evidence-Based Guidelines. Chest 127.1 (2005): 335-371. Print.
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways. It is a reversible airway obstruction, occurring 8 to 10% of the population worldwide. According to a study in 2005, asthma affects over 15 million Americans, with more than 2 million annual emergency room visits. Asthma patients have a hyper-responsiveness in their airways and generally and increase in their airway smooth muscle cell mass. This hyperplasia is due to the normal response to the injury and repair to the airway caused by exacerbations. The main choice of therapy for asthma patients is β2- adrenergic agonists. Racemic albuterol has been the drug of choice for a short acting bronchodilator for a long time, but since the development of levalbuterol, there is the question of which drug is a better choice for therapy. Efficacy and cost of treatment must both be taken into consideration in each study of these therapies to determine which is best for the treatment of 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...
Duerden, M. & Price, D. (2001). Training issues in the use of inhalers. Practical Disease
Breathing in and out is an innate behavior that we are born with; also, it is a behavior that people take for granted. Let’s say, people who smoke think a cough, or a cough with phlegm is a sign that they are about to get a cold, but then again it can be a sign of a potential health problem like emphysema, asthma, or tuberculosis. People smoke for different reasons; nevertheless, it is an addiction that they can recover from. It may take them several tries to quit smoking, but they can quit. People don’t think about the harm that they are putting on their lungs and alveoli when they put a cigarette to their mouth. For example, many long time smokers are diagnose with emphysema every minute. Emphysema is an example of a chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) that has causes numerous deaths and disabilities in the United States of America. Also, smoking is the number one causes of death in developed countries.
HENDERSON, Y (1998) A practical approach to breathing control in primary care. Nursing Standard (JULY) 22 (44) p41
Basile, Maria. "Asthma." The Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders. 2nd ed. 2005. Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 9 Feb. 2011.
Asthma is a disorder that interferes with the lungs and the airways to the lungs. It causes attacks of wheezing and difficult breathing. An asthma attack occurs when the airways respond to some kind of trigger, Some examples of triggers for Asthma attacks are dust, mold, pets, exercise, cold weather, and some attacks start for no known reason. The triggers may irritate the airways to the lungs, allowing disease-fighting cells to build up and causing the lungs to swell up. In addition, the airways could get blocked when the muscles surrounding the lungs tighten. This keeps air from circulating freely in the lungs. Or, mucus may clog and narrow the airways in the lungs, making breathing even more difficult.
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.
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.
An asthma attack has many effects on the body. Asthma affects the body by limiting the flow of air into the lungs. It causes airway inflammation, bronchial restriction and irregular airway obstruction. Airway inflammation is how the body reacts to something that is irritating the airways. When happening your lungs begin swelling, your breathing passageway becomes restricted and mucus is secreted. Bronchial restriction happens when the muscles in your airways tighten around the breathing tubes in your lungs. (Bronchial tubes). Mucus or fluid that is accumulated by the reaction can obstruct your airway and make it very difficult to breathe properly.
Inhalant use refers to breathing in the vapors a substance gives off. The sole purpose is to get high. Surprisingly, these inhalants are legal. Things like markers and even cooking spray can be found in any local grocery store. It’s uses like huffing that cause these items to be misused. Inhalant use is not something that only a few people pick up on either. By the time a person reaches 8th grade, one in five will have used inhalants. Statistics show that young, white males have the highest usage rates. Hispanic and American Indian populations are close behind.
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.
Hess Dean R., M. N. (2012). Respiratory Care: Principles and Practice 12th Edition. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.
Nursing Diagnosis I for Patient R.M. is ineffective airway clearance related to retained secretions. This is evidenced by a weak unproductive cough and by both objective and subjective data. Objective data includes diagnosis of pneumonia, functional decline, and dyspnea. Subjective data include the patient’s complaints of feeling short of breath, even with assistance with basic ADLs. This is a crucial nursing diagnosis as pneumonia is a serious condition that is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States and the number one cause of death from infectious diseases (Lemon, & Burke, 2011). It is vital to keep the airway clear of the mucus that may be produced from the inflammatory response of pneumonia. This care plan is increasingly important because of R.M.'s state of functional decline; he is unable to perform ADL and to elicit a strong cough by himself due to his slouched posture. Respiratory infections and in this case, pneumonia, will further impair the airway (Lemon, & Burke, 2011). Because of the combination of pneumonia and R.M's other diagnoses of lifelong asthma, it is imperative that the nursing care plan of ineffective airway clearance be carried out. The first goal of this care plan was to have the patient breathe deeply and cough to remove secretions. It is important that the nurse help the patient deep breathe in an upright position; this is the best position for chest expansion, which promotes expansion and ventilation of all lung fields (Sparks and Taylor, 2011). It is also important the nurse teach the patient an easily performed cough technique and help mobilize the patient with ADL's. This helps the patient learn to cough and clear their airways without fatigue (Sparks a...
...rease the likelihood of an asthma attack, which is sometimes brought about by stress. Additionally acupuncture has been used to try and minimize the symptoms of asthma patients, but little research has been done in support of this method ("Alternative Therapy for Asthma"). There are not any surgeries that are associated with the treatment of asthma, but there is a new treatment called bronchial thermoplasty, where the smooth muscle that is in the airways of the lungs is treated with a small heated probe (Little). This helps to dilate the airways and decreases the symptoms associated with asthma. This treatment is still in its early stages of research and will need to be tested more in depth before it becomes a common procedure (Little). All of these treatment methods, including traditional and nontraditional, can be used in order to help people control their asthma.