Asthma Treatments Flashcards
(24 cards)
What are symptoms of asthma?
Wheezing
Shortness of breAth
Tightness of chest
Worse at night
What are the risk factors for asthma?
Food allergies Family history Early exposure to smoke Child hood - adult Occupational
What are the triggers for asthma?
Exposure to allergen Cold air exercise Pollutants Emotion Drugs ( aspirin b blockers)
What are the long term aims of asthma therapy?
Abolish symptoms
Maintain optimal lung function
Prevent death from acute attack
Avoid side effects
What are the two types of asthma treatments?
Name some egs?
Relievers ( bronchioles dilators) Salbutamol Salmeterol Ipratropium Theophylline Preventers anti inflammatory Beclometasone Montelukst Sodium cromoglicate
Relievers act on which receptors?
A2 b2
Salbutamol has a similar structure to which nt ?
What will this cause?
Adrenaline
It’s a b2 selective agonist causes smooth muscle relaxation
What are the side effects of relievers?
Tremor
Increased HR ( if dose high enough will bind to b1 receptors which will increase HR)
Nervous tension headache
Hypocalcaemia
What are the different methods of taking relievers drugs?
Inhaler metered dose - coordinator is an issue
Spacer - spray drug into device and then breath in
Why are steroids used in the prevention or treatment of asthma?
It reduces inflammation which reduces mucus secretion, oedema, damaged airways
Glucocorticoid are given to prevent asthma attacks for eg beclometasone how long after starting treatment will symptoms improve ?
3-7 days
What is the advantage of using combination inhalers?
Give an eg ?
It does both maintenance and relief and it means don’t need to carry 2
Eg symbicort
Explain the mechanism of steroids?
The bind with receptors Then combine with another complex Then crosses nucleus membrane Steroid then either switches on gene Which increases mRNA Increases protein production or the opposite
What are the unwanted effects of steroids?
Oral thrush or infection to vocal cords
What is the treatment for acute asthma attacks
Oral steroids, prednisolone
, short high dose for 7 days
What are the side effects of steroids
Buffalo hump Moon face Hypertension ^ abdomenal fat Poor wound healing Stunted growth
What is the danger or stopping steroid treatment quickly
Body can’t produce corticosteroid naturally due to high amounts already in blood this causes neg feedback of natural corticosteroid
What is the side effects of antimuscarinic bronchodilators?
Dry mouth, short acting
What does cromones do ?
Inhibit the chemical release from mast cells to prevent a bronchospasm, used for allergies and excersise
What treatment can be used for under 5’s for asthma
Leukotriene receptors antagonists eg montelukast and zafirlukast- block receptors and prevent inflammation
Which treatment for asthma can cause high HR, platatations and headache and only has a narrow therapeutic window
Theophylline, oral or IV in server- blocks an enzyme in airways causes muscles to relax
What does Omalizumab do for asthma sufferers
Monocolonical antibody which reduces effects of allergen, may cause brushing and pain on injection
What is the 5 stages of asthma treatment ?
- Inhaled short acting B2 agonist
- Inhaled steroids
- Inhaled long lasting B2+ increased dose of inhaled steroids
- Short and long acting B2 + inhaled steroids + another drug
- Continuous use of oral steroids
What is asthma?
It is a condition which is assoc with airway hyper responsiveness, reversible airway limitation, bronchial inflammation.
