Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Respiratory Physiology > Asthma > Flashcards

Asthma Flashcards

1
Q

What is asthma defined as?

A
  • Increased responsiveness (irritability) of the trachea and bronchus to stimuli
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What does the increased irritability of the trachea and bronchi lead to?

A
  • Narrowing of the airway
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What two ways can the extent of the narrowed airway be different?

A
  • Randomly

- From treatment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the resolution of spontaneous airway narrowing?

A
  • They usually dilate by themselves
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is the reaction the airway has when a sensitive stimulus is breathed in?

A
  • Always narrows
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the prevalence of asthma in children?

A
  • 10 - 15%
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the gender distribution in children?

A
  • More boys than girls
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is the prevalence of asthma in adults?

A
  • 5-10%
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the gender distribution in adults?

A
  • More women than men
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How many deaths are a result from asthma in the UK per annum?

A

About 1000

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What 2 ways is asthma detrimental to the NHS?

A
  • Lots of admissions, GP time

- Costs the NHS £2.35 billion a year

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are the 3 proven risk factors for the development of asthma?

A
  • Genetic
  • Occupation
  • Smoking
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is atopy?

A
  • Inherited tendency to produce IgE in response to an allergen (hyperallergenic)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Which parent is more influential in the inheritance of familial atopy?

A
  • Maternal atopy 3 times more influential
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What two ways can atopy be genetics related?

A
  • Immune genes IL-4 and IL-5

- ADAM-33 gene (airways)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

How can occupation lead to asthma?

A

Exposure to certain antigens for an increased time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Give 3 examples of occupational antigens

A
  • Grains
  • Isocyanates
  • Enzymes
  • Drugs
  • Animals
  • Crustaceans
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

How does smoking lead to the development of asthma?

A
  • If the mother smokes during pregnancy it has been shown to modify oocytes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is the grandmother effect?

A
  • Essentially how if your mothers mum smoked and so did she during pregnancy then it like amplifies your chances
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What are speculative risk factors?

A
  • There is a CORRELATION between the two but asthma isn’t actually CAUSED by it
21
Q

What are examples of speculative risk factors?

A
  • BMI
  • Diet
  • Exposure to microbes
  • Aerosols and cleaning products
  • Dust mites
  • Cats
  • Grass pollen
22
Q

What is the correlation between BMI and asthma?

A
  • High BMI usually indicated obesity

- Obesity is pro inflammatory

23
Q

With reference to exposure to microbes and antigens, SPECULATIVELY how can you reduce your chance of becoming sensitive to them?

A
  • Exposure from an early age

- e.g. living on a farm

24
Q

How do dust mites increase chance of asthma development?

A
  • Produce a lot of shit

- Shit contains an allergenic enzyme

25
Q

What is the correlation between reduced dust mites and asthma?

A
  • Reducing dust mite levels actually increases asthma prevalence
26
Q

What is localised airflow obstruction?

A
  • A tumour

- A foreign body like a pea in the airway

27
Q

What causes generalised airflow obstruction?

A
  • Asthma (reversible)
  • COPD (irreversible)
  • Bronchiectasis (airways become unusually wide and fill up with mucus)
  • Bronchiolitis (bronchiole inflammation)
  • CF
28
Q

What symptom is NEEDED for an asthma diagnosis?

A
  • A wheeze
29
Q

Why is a wheeze needed for an asthma diagnosis?

A
  • The other common symptoms of asthma fit many other generalised airflow obstructive diseases
30
Q

What other NON VARIABLE symptoms are common with asthma?

A
  • SOB
  • Chest tightness
  • Dry cough (wet cough would signify bronchitis
31
Q

What are the variable trigger of asthma?

A
  • Exercise
  • Pets
  • Smoke
  • Perfume
  • Cold air
  • Pollen
32
Q

What is daily variation of asthma?

A

Is it worst at different times of the day

33
Q

What is weekly variation of asthma?

A

Is it worse at work etc

34
Q

What past medical history is important when diagnosing asthma?

A
  • Childhood asthma
  • Eczema
  • Hayfever
35
Q

What past drug history is important when diagnosing asthma?

A
  • Inhalers
  • Aspirin
  • B blockers
  • NSAIDs
36
Q

What family history is important when diagnosing asthma?

A
  • Atopic disease
37
Q

What past social history is important when diagnosing asthma?

A
  • Smoking
  • Pets
  • Occupations
  • Psychosocial
38
Q

Why is phsychosocial history important?

A

Some asthma symptoms worsen in response to stress

39
Q

What is the technique used to check for obstructive airways disease?

A
  • Spirometry
40
Q

What two things does spirometry read?

A
  • FEV1

- FVC

41
Q

If the airflows are obstructed what happens to FEV1 and FVC

A
  • FEV1 lower

- FVC the same

42
Q

Why is using spirometry not a good diagnostic tool for asthma?

A
  • Asthma is variable

- The airways could be normal at time of test and a false negative will be given

43
Q

What is the process of carbon monoxide gas transfer?

A
  • Get patient to breathe in a little CO
  • If the alveoli are working properly then most of the CO should diffuse into the blood
  • If not then high levels of CO will be detected on exhalation
44
Q

What type of drugs would you use to differentiate asthma from COPD by administering a test run?

A
  • Bronchodilators and corticosteroids
  • These drugs will always get the airways to open if it is asthma
  • Will have no effect on COPD (irreversible)
45
Q

By what volume would FEV1 have to change to say that the bronchodilator or the corticosteroid was effective in opening the airways

A
  • 200ml
46
Q

How would you diagnose occupational asthma?

A
  • Get the patient to do spirometry in and out of work
47
Q

What is a specialist way of diagnosing asthma? (last resort almost)

A
  • Checking airway responsiveness to histamine OR the suspected trigger antigen
48
Q

How can nitric oxide be used to diagnose asthma?

A
  • Get the suspected asthma sufferer to breathe in some nitric oxide
  • Test nitric oxide concentration on exhalation and typically you’d detect a much higher conc of nitric oxide in a asthma sufferer

Respiratory Physiology (16 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions