Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Chronic Asthma
- Epidemiology
- Occurs at all ages, but 50% of cases develop during childhood
- Diagnosed in over 34 million people in U.S.
- affects boys more than girls; and populations most affected are black and Hispanic children
- Pathophysiology
- Inflammatory response triggered by antigen
- release of a magnitude of inflammatory cells
- results in epithelial injury of bronchi
- causes smooth muscle contraction, mucosal edema, & increased mucus secretion
- Clinical Presentation
- asymptomatic between attacks
- Diagnosis
- history of allergies, recurrent
- wheezing, and exercise intolerance
- confirmed by pulmonary function testing with use of spirometry
- Treatment
- Depends on age
- Removal of allergens and other triggers
- drug therapy using stepwise
- SABA prn
- Inhaled corticosteroid
- add LABA