Respiratory Quiz - Module 5

Asthma occurs in about 5% of children and 10% of adults.

The underlying pathology of asthma is airway inflammation

Airway inflammation results in airway hyper-reactivity when the airways are exposed to irritant or allergic triggers.

Asthmatic airways may be blocked by spasm or mucus

Asthma symptoms should go away with bronchodilators                                                                                

Drugs that block the parasympathetic nervous system (anticholinergics) or stimulate the sympathetic nervous system (B2 agonists) cause bronchodilation                                                                                                                   

 Asthma severity must be assessed on every occasion

A patient with no night time symptoms, a normal peak flow rate and day time symptoms once a week and occasionally with exercise has intermittent asthma.

A patient with no day time symptoms, a normal peak flow rate and night time symptoms once a week and occasionally with exercise has intermittent asthma.

Persistent asthma can be treated with environmental control and reliever (short active beta 2 agonist) therapy only