Australian Catholic University BIOL122 Asthma Vodcast Presentation

This document presents a student's solution to a Vodcast assignment for Australian Catholic University's BIOL122 course, focusing on asthma. The assignment addresses the pathophysiology of asthma, including bronchial smooth muscle contraction, increased mucus secretion, and their impact on airway obstruction, leading to clinical manifestations like hypoxia and increased heart rate. The solution details the pharmacological management using Salbutamol, explaining its mechanism of action as a bronchodilator and its administration methods. The document also includes a client information section providing background details of a 50-year-old female patient named Jone Wilson diagnosed with asthma. References from various research papers support the information. This assignment aims to demonstrate an understanding of asthma and effective communication through a Vodcast format.

Running head: ASTHMA
ASTHMA
Name of Student:
Name of University:
Author’s Note:

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Answer number 1.
Asthma is the chronic disease which is characterized by the intermittent airflow
obstruction and inflammation that shows the symptoms of the chest tightness and cough. It is
reported that due to inflammatory and structural changes in the walls of airway causes bronchial
smooth muscle contraction and increase in production of mucus, which contribute to the episodic
obstruction of the airflow passage in asthma (Sakai et al., 2017). In case of inflammatory
response, range of mediators like cytokines causes activation of inflammatory cells like mast
cells and T- cells. It causes squeezing of the smooth muscle of bronchioles and thus the
contraction of smooth muscle causes narrowing of the airway because it surrounds the airway
circumferential pattern and leads to wheezing, cough and chest tightness. Further it is also
reported that due to such inflammatory response and narrowing of the airway in asthma leads to
hyper secretion of mucus (Zhang, Li & Zhang, 2019). It is known that mucous is been produced
in the inner lining of airway epithelium and when lining of bronchioles become inflamed and
swells, it produces high amount of mucous which clog up the airway tubes resulting in
obstruction of airway passage. It causes shortness of breath and asthma. Thus, the two
pathological changes which include bronchial smooth muscle contraction and increased mucus
secretion occur in the respiratory tract which have the potential of asthma attack.
Answer number 2.
In asthma, there is obstruction of the flow of air in the lungs due to clogging of the
bronchioles by hyper secretion of mucous and bronchoconstriction of the smooth muscle. The
clinical manifestation of asthma is related to hypoxia and increase in heart rate. It is reported in
the study of Kelly et al. (2017) that due to obstruction of the airway, the flow of oxygen in the

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blood and tissue become decreased thus result in hypoxia. This causes increase in level of carbon
dioxide in the blood and cells which leads to increase in demand for oxygen. Ozer et al. (2018)
has stated that due to hypoxia, the level of oxygen in the heart muscle is low which increase its
contraction. Author has also said due to high demand of oxygen and contraction of the muscle,
there is increase in heart rate. It can be further said that low level of oxygen in asthma, causes
abnormal circulation of the blood which also contribute to increase in heart rate.
Answer number 3.
Salbutamol is a type of bronchodilator which is used to relieve asthma attack. Beta 2
adrenoceptors and beta 1 adrenoceptors are the predominant receptors present in heart cells and
smooth lining airway of the lungs. In asthma there is the loss of the function of these receptor
which is known to dilate the lining and ease the flow of air in lungs. Salbutamol is the drugs
which binds to this receptors and result in its activation. This in turn lead to the activation of the
adenyl cyclase and high production of intracellular concentration of the cyclic-3′,5′-adenosine
monophosphate (cyclic AMP) (Bjermer et al., 2016). CAMP has the major function of
activating protein kinase A which causes inhibition of the myosin phosphorylation and decrease
in concentration of the ionic calcium in cells which dilation of the muscle. Thus the drug
salbutamol has the major function of relaxation of smooth muscle of the airways initiating from
the trachea to the terminal bronchioles. Thus, reduced the symptoms of shortness of breath,
coughing and wheezing. It is suggested by Keränen, et al. (2016) that Salbutamol acts as
antagonist and relaxes the airway regardless of spasmogen.

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Answer number 4.
Salbutamol can be administered intravenously, orally or by inhalation. It contains
sulphate salt suspended in the norflurane. When it is administered, only 20% of the drug reaches
the lower airways and rest are retained by the delivery system where is gets swallowed. The part
of drug which reaches the airways topically to the lung. However, the swallowed and fraction of
salbutamol is absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract, pulmonary tissue and thus enter the
circulation because it is not metabolized by the lungs. Thus, salbutamol is also act systematically
and reaches to whole of the body (Çelik et al., 2018).
It is important to give education to the client about the way to use the salbutamol and its
dose size. The person will be given advice to take the medicine in the prescribe dose size and in
correct time. He will be instructed to avoid using salbutamol if symptoms of shakiness, headache
and muscle cramps is felt and to contact in the emergency department immediately (Craig,
Tuszynski & Armstrong, 2016).

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Reference
Bjermer, L., Stewart, J., Abbott-Banner, K. H., & Newman, K. (2016). A31 ASTHMA
THERAPY: GLUCOCORTICOIDS AND BEYOND: Rpl554, A First-In-Class Dual
Phosphodiesterase (pde) 3/4 Inhibitor, Is Equi-Effective As A Bronchodilator To
Maximal Doses Of Salbutamol In Asthmatics But With Fewer Adverse Events. American
Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 193, 1.
Çelik, H. T., Yurdakök, M., Korkmaz, A., & Yiğit, Ş. (2018). Does inhaled salbutamol before
surfactant therapy have any beneficial effect?. The Turkish journal of pediatrics, 60(6),
669-674.
Craig, S., Tuszynski, M., & Armstrong, D. (2016). It is time to stop prescribing oral
salbutamol. Australian family physician, 45(4), 245.
Kelly, V. J., Hibbert, K. A., Kohli, P., Kone, M., Greenblatt, E. E., Venegas, J. G., ... & Harris,
R. S. (2017). Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction does not explain all regional perfusion
redistribution in asthma. American journal of respiratory and critical care
medicine, 196(7), 834-844.
Keränen, T., Hömmö, T., Hämäläinen, M., Moilanen, E., & Korhonen, R. (2016). Anti-
inflammatory effects of β2-receptor agonists salbutamol and terbutaline are mediated by
MKP-1. PloS one, 11(2), e0148144.
Ozer, M., Buyuktiryaki, B., Sahiner, U. M., Teksam, O., Karaatmaca, B., Soyer, O., & Sekerel,
B. E. (2018). Repeated doses of salbutamol and aeroallergen sensitisation both increased

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salbutamol‐induced hypoxia in children and adolescents with acute asthma. Acta
Paediatrica, 107(4), 647-652.
Sakai, H., Suto, W., Kai, Y., & Chiba, Y. (2017). Mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of
hyper-contractility of bronchial smooth muscle in allergic asthma. Journal of Smooth
Muscle Research, 53, 37-47.
Zhang, W., Li, X., & Zhang, Y. (2019). Rho-kinase inhibitor attenuates airway mucus
hypersecretion and inflammation partly by downregulation of IL-13 and the JNK1/2-AP1
signaling pathway. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications.

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Appendix
Client information
Client Information
What is their name? Jone Wilson
What is their gender? Female
What is their age? 50 years
What condition do they have? (either asthma
or cancer)
Asthma
Are they a within a healthy weight range? Yes
Do they exercise? No
What is their occupation? Teacher
What is their living status? Lives with husband and two children
What is their family medical history? CPOD
Are they pregnant? No
Are they a smoker? No
What is their alcohol intake? No
What medications or treatments have they
been prescribed?
Salbutamol