Respiratory Complications Quiz

Bronchial Asthma Overview

• Chronic lung disease causing respiratory issues, activity limitations, and potential for urgent healthcare.
• Symptoms include paroxysmal dyspnea, cough, and wheezing due to airway obstruction, inflammation, and hyper-responsiveness.

Acute Severe Asthma (Status Asthmaticus)

• Severe asthma attack lasting more than 6 hours despite treatment.
• Symptoms: distress, tachypnea (>30 breaths/min), tachycardia (>120 beats/min), pulsus paradoxus, cyanosis, increased CO2 levels.
• Risk of vascular collapse and dehydration due to hyperventilation.

Treatment Approaches

• Bronchodilators:

  • Types: Short-acting β2 agonists, inhaled corticosteroids.
  • Administration: Inhaled, oral, or via nebulizer.
  • Action: Relax airway muscles to ease breathing.
  • Side Effects: Tachycardia, shaky hands, headaches.

• Anti-inflammatory Drugs:

  • Types: Corticosteroids, leukotriene inhibitors, antihistamines.
  • Administration: Inhaled or systemic.
  • Action: Reduce inflammation and airway hyper-responsiveness.
  • Side Effects: Oral thrush, systemic effects with long-term use.

• Additional Drugs:

  • Anti-IGE, cytotoxic drugs as adjuncts in therapy.
  • Skin tests for allergy identification.

Long-term Management

• Avoidance of known triggers: allergens, irritants, and environmental factors.
• Regular inhaler therapy and patient education.

Asthma Severity Classification (Stepwise Approach)

• Step 1: Intermittent - Short-acting β2 agonists as needed.
• Step 2: Mild - Add inhaled corticosteroids with short-acting β2 agonists as needed.
• Step 3: Moderate - More intensive inhaler therapy.
• Step 4: Severe - Comprehensive management plan with specialist input.

Clinical Features of Bronchial Asthma

• General Signs:

  • Tachypnea and tachycardia indicating respiratory distress.
  • Prolonged expiratory phase and pulsus paradoxus as indicators of severity.

• Local Signs:

  • Hyperinflation of the chest, increased anterior-posterior diameter.
  • Wheezing, diminished breath sounds in severe cases.

Causes of Asthmatic Syndrome

• Cardiac asthma, renal asthma, fibrosing asthma, polyarteritis nodosa, carcinoid tumors, Löffler’s syndrome contributing to symptoms.

Differential Diagnosis of Dyspnea

• Conditions leading to paroxysmal dyspnea include tetany, mediastinal syndrome, myasthenic crises, poisoning, foreign body aspiration, and hysterical responses.

Inflammation Mechanism Comparison: Asthma vs. COPD

• Asthma: Respiratory inflammation primarily from sensitizing agents leading to reversible airflow limitation.
• COPD: Irritant-based inflammation involving CD8 T lymphocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils, resulting in irreversible airflow limitation.

Investigative Tools

• Chest X-ray, sputum analysis, blood tests for allergy, ECG, pulmonary function tests to assess severity and underlying factors.

Role of Education and Management

• Comprehensive understanding of asthma etiology, pathology, and management to optimize patient outcomes and reduce acute exacerbations.

Test your knowledge on the complications associated with respiratory conditions like status asthmaticus and COPD. This quiz covers various aspects, including acute severe asthma and its consequences. Are you ready to evaluate your understanding of these critical respiratory issues?