Asthma Vodcast Questions

Running head: ASTHMA 1
Asthma Vodcast Questions
(Author’s name)
(Institutional Affiliation)

ASTHMA 2
Personal Client
Client criteria
Name John Williams
Gender male
Age 20 years old
Condition Asthma
Healthy weight range Normal
Exercises Currently walking three kilometers per week
but seek to improve
Occupation Student
Living Status Live with his father and one younger sister
Family medical history Nothing relevant
pregnancy NA
Alcohol intake Drinks occasionally
Smoking Has tried several times but currently do not
Medication prescribed salbutamol

ASTHMA 3
Asthma Pathophysiology
Bronchial Smooth Muscles Contraction
In patients with asthma, the primary physiological event that leads to most of the clinical
symptoms is narrowing of the airways thus interfering with the airflow(Doeing & Solway, 2013).
In an acute asthma attack, the bronchoconstriction occurs quickly as mediated to exposure of a
variety of stimuli such as irritants and allergens primarily due to airway
hyperresponsiveness(Evans, Kim, Tuvim, & Dickey, 2013). These allergen-induced bronchi
smooth muscles contractors are caused by immunoglobin E(IgE) release mediators majorly from
mast cells such as tryptase, histamine, prostaglandins, and leukotrienes that directly contract the
smooth muscles.
Increased mucus production
In response to allergens and irritants, the body increases hypersecretion of mucus
primarily caused by leukotrienes secreted by mast cells(Evans et al., 2013). There is hyperplasia
of goblets cells and increase in number thus raising the production of mucus intended to move up
the irritants and allergens using cilia(Kudo, Ishigatsubo, & Aoki, 2013). However, due to the fact
that there is smooth muscle contraction, the pathway to move up excess mucus is minimized
which leads to airway obstruction. This, in turn, leads to difficulty in breathing.
Cough and Edema
Coughing in asthma is a result of body defense mechanism intended to move up the
mucus and irritants out of the lungs. Coughing in asthma is usually nonproductive due to
swelling and constriction of the airways(Kudo et al., 2013). The swelling of the airways caused
edema which is as a result of allergens and irritants primary ignited by a body defense