Asthma: Pathogenesis, Clinical Manifestations, and Treatment

ASTHMA

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Question 1..................................................................................................................................1
Explanation of Pathogenesis that is causing the clinical manifestations with which Poppy
presents...................................................................................................................................1
Question 2..................................................................................................................................1
1. Sit Poppy in a High Fowlers position................................................................................1
2. Apply and titrate oxygen...................................................................................................2
Question 3..................................................................................................................................2
Salbutamol via nebulizer........................................................................................................2
Hydrocortisone IV..................................................................................................................3
Ipratropium Bromide via nebuliser........................................................................................3
REREFENCES...........................................................................................................................4

Question 1
Explanation of Pathogenesis that is causing the clinical manifestations with which Poppy
presents
Asthma is one of those diseases in which a person’s airways becomes inflamed, swelled, narrow
produce extra mucus which makes it difficult to breath (Petsky, Kew & Chang, 2016). This
disease is mostly found in children. Acute asthma is an exaggerated response to numerous
endogenous and exogenous stimuli. It includes bronchial hyperresponsiveness, airways
inflammation and intermittent airflow obstruction (Bar‐Yoseph, Kugelman, Livnat, Gur, Hakim,
Nir & Bentur, 2017). Poppy was initially diagnosed with acute asthma at the age of two and
recently she was diagnosed with acute exacerbations of asthma. The inflammatory, physiologic,
and structural factors mainly contribute to the pathogenesis of asthma. Asthma is a inflammatory
disorder of airways in which many cells and cellular elements plays a vital and important role,
especially in mast cells, eosinophils, T lymphocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, and epithelial
cells. In most of the individuals this inflammation causes recurrent episodes of wheezing,
breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing specifically in morning. This episode is usually
episode associated with widespread especially in airflow obstruction which is reversable either
with treatment or spontaneously. This inflammation also causes increase in the existing bronchial
hyperresponsiveness to a variety of stimuli.
In this condition variety of changes are observed in airway of a patient such as:
 One of the changes is known as Bronchoconstriction which is a kind of psychological event
in which airway of the patient get narrowed and subsequent interference with airflow.
 Airway remodelling is another condition in which airflow limitation is sometimes partially
reversable. In such condition permanent changes can occur within the body.
 When asthma becomes more persistent and airways inflammation becomes more progressive,
this is a case of Airway edema. In such condition there are various other factors because of
which airflow is limited.
 Airway hyperresponsiveness is one of the major situations or features of asthma in which
bronchoconstrictor response is exaggerated to variety of stimuli.
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