OPD BSN – 1A

Members:
Regalado, Angelo
Bayno, Angel Dei
Carcasona, Samantha
Mascarinas, Abbie Claire
Tubio, Mary Lyyne

BRONCHIAL ASTHMA
DEFINITION

Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways associated

with airway hyper responsiveness that leads to recurrent episodes of wheezing,
breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing particularly at night or in the early morning.
These episodes are usually associated with widespread but variable airflow obstruction that
is often reversible either spontaneously or with treatment.

TYPES
1. Intermittent Asthma
- with symptoms less than twice a week and wake up less than two nights a month.

2. Mild Persistent Asthma

- with symptoms two or more days a week and wake up three to four nights a month.

3. Moderate Persistent Asthma

- with symptoms at least everyday and wake up one or more nights a week.

4. Severe Persistent Asthma

- with symptoms during the day and wake up every night due to asthma.

PATIENT’S DATA

Patient x is a 2 years old boy, who has been diagnosed with bronchial asthma. patient x was
observed with breathlessness during his check up and was managed through a nebulizer with
salbutamol.

CAUSES
 Genetics
 History of Viral Infection
 Early Allergen Exposure
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY

Asthma is associated with mast cells, eosinophils, and T lymphocytes. Mast cells are the allergy-
causing cells that release chemicals like histamine. Histamine is the substance that causes nasal
stuffiness and dripping in a cold or hay fever, constriction of airways in asthma, and itchy areas
in a skin allergy. Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell associated with allergic disease. T
lymphocytes are also white blood cells associated with allergy and inflammation.

These cells, along with other inflammatory cells, are involved in the development of airway
inflammation in asthma that contributes to the airway hyperresponsiveness, airflow limitation,
respiratory symptoms, and chronic disease. In certain individuals, the inflammation results in
the feelings of chest tightness and breathlessness that's felt often at night (nocturnal asthma)
or in the early morning hours. Others only feel symptoms when they exercise (called exercise-
induced asthma). Because of the inflammation, the airway hyperresponsiveness occurs as a
result of specific triggers.

Cells that cause Asthma

a) MAST CELLS
- are the allergy-causing cells that release chemicals like histamine. Histamine is the
substance that causes nasal stuffiness and dripping in a cold or hay fever, constriction of
airways in asthma, and itchy areas in a skin allergy. 

b) EOSINOPHILS
- are a type of white blood cell associated with allergic disease.

c) T-LYMPHOCYTES
- are also white blood cells associated with allergy and inflammation.

SYMPTOMS
 Labored breathing
 Wheezing
 Sleep problems
 Chest pain
 Frequent coughing
 Allergies
 Common cold
 Feeling tired

TRIGGERS
 Pollution
 Smoking
 Household chemicals
  Fatty food
 Dust
 Pets

TREATMENT
1. Breathing Exercise

- these exercises can help you get more air into and out of your lungs. Over time, this may
help increase lung capacity and cut down on severe asthma symptoms. Your doctor or
an occupational therapist can help you learn these breathing exercises for asthma.

Example:
Diaphragmatic breathing
- This is a basic and simple breathing technique that maximizes air distribution in your
lungs.
- You can lie down or sit. Concentrate on your breathing. Preferably you should breathe in
slowly through your nose. When you inhale your abdomen should go out (not your
chest). Exhale slowly with your abdomen going inward. Ideally exhalation should be
twice as long as inhalation

2. Rescue or first aid treatment

- these medications should only be used in the event of an asthma attack. They provide
quick relief to help you breathe again.

Examples include:
- rescue inhalers and nebulizers, which are used with medicine that needs to be inhaled
deep into the lungs
- bronchodilators, which work to relax the tightened muscles in your lung
- anti-inflammatories, which target inflammation in your lungs that could be preventing
your breathing

3. Long term asthma control medication

- these medications should be taken daily to prevent symptoms. Some rescue treatments,
such as inhalers and nebulizers, can be used daily. However, your doctor will need to
adjust your dosages.
- several types of medications are used to treat asthma.