Asthma Essay With Conclusions

Asthma Essay With Conclusions Asthma is one of the major chronic respiratory conditions which alter the respiratory function of the body. The World Health Organisation or WHO (2012) defines asthma as a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterised by frequent episodes of breathlessness and wheezing. This difficulty in breathing is caused by the swelling and constricting of the airways. Exposure to allergens, pollutants, cold air, infection and exercise can increase the risk of asthmatics having an attack (Funnel, Koutoukidis and Lawrence 2009). This essay will discuss on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, medical management and clinical manifestations of asthma. It will also cover the client education needed to provide for those with asthma, asthma’s risk factors and its prognosis. According to the National Asthma Council of Australia or NACA (2006) more than 2.2 million Australians are suffering from asthma. This essay will therefore also describe how asthma impacts on its victims and their life style. Kaufman (2011) describes the pathophysiology of asthma as a pathologic condition which affects the lower respiratory tract by narrowing the airways as a result of epithelial damage, excessive mucus production, oedema, bronchoconstriction and muscle damage. In asthma the cells in the epithelium layer can be destroyed and peel away, making the respiratory tract more susceptible to allergens and infections, thereby contributing to airway hyper-responsiveness (Kaufman 2011). Asthma also triggers the development of mucus cells and mucus glands. This increases mucus production, thus forming mucous plugs which can obstruct the airways (Monahan et al. 2007). Airway oedema is another change that occurs in the respiratory tract due to asthma. It involves the dilation and leaking of capillaries in the airway walls which limits airflow (Kaufman 2011). Monahan et al. (2007) add that increased capillary permeability and leakage can obstruct the airways due to swelling. They also explain t hat the inflammatory agents such as histamine, tryptase, leukotriences and prostaglandins act on smooth muscles of airway walls and cause bronchoconstriction which restricts the airflow to alveoli. Brown and Edwards (2012) write that wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and cough are the most common clinical manifestations of asthma. They can occur especially at night and in the early morning and can vary from person to person. It is not necessary to have all the symptoms at once as different symptoms can occur at different times. According to NACA (2006) frequent cough, feeling weak, wheezing after exercise, shortness of breath and sleeping difficulties can be early signs of asthma while severe wheezing, continuous cough, rapid breathing, anxiety, chest pain, blue lips and fingernails are the symptoms of severe asthma attacks. Diagnosing asthma can be done by obtaining a detailed history, performing physical examinations, pulmonary function testing, and laboratory assessments (Ignatavicius and Workman 2010) According to Ignatavicius and Workman (2010) it is important to ask patients about any experiences of having shortness of breath, cough, chest tightness, wheeze and increased mucus production as well as about their smoking habits and any family history of asthma. The same source write that physical examinations can be performed by listening to the patient’s chest for any wheezing sounds and observing respiratory effort by assessing the respiratory rate and examining whether the patient is using any accessory muscles to breathe. They add that the shape of the chest also needs to be examined, as a barrel-shaped chest can be a sign of prolonged asthma. In addition, the oral mucosa and nail beds need to be examined for any bluish tinge (Ignatavicius and Workman 2010).