Presented by:

Ortega, Cathrine Ina A.

Ronquillo, Sheena
 It is derived from the Greek word for “panting” a
description of child’s distress.
 It is a chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows

the airways.
 Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most often

starts in childhood.
 It differs from other obstructive lung diseases in that it

is largely reversible, either spontaneously or with

treatment.
1. Extrinsic Asthma – called Atopic/allergic asthma.
–  An “allergen” is a foreign particle which enters the
body. Our immune system over-reacts to these often
harmless items, forming “antibodies” which are
normally used to attack viruses or bacteria.

Triggered by:
 Sulfites in foods and drinks
 Allergens found in dust, animal fur, cockroaches,
mold, and pollens from trees, grasses, and flowers
2. Intrinsic asthma– called non-allergic asthma,
– is not allergy-related
– it is caused by anything except an allergy.

Triggered by:
 Irritants such as cigarette or wood smoke
 Viral upper respiratory infections which is the major cause of an
acute asthma attack (e.g.colds)
 Astma induced by physical exertion is called Exercise –induced
asthma ,typically occurs after vigorous exercises, not during it.
(e.g. Jogging, climbing stairs, walking briskly)
 Certain medicines such as aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs and nonselective beta-blockers
 Other health conditions—such as nose and sinus problems,
gastroesophageal reflux disease and psychological factors.
 Coughing. Coughing from asthma is often worse at
night or early in the morning, making it hard to sleep.
 Wheezing. Wheezing is a whistling or squeaky sound

that occurs when you breathe.

 Chest tightness. This may feel like something is

squeezing or sitting on your chest.

 Shortness of breath. Some people who have asthma

say they can't catch their breath or they feel out of

breath. You may feel like you can't get air out of your
lungs.
 Respiratory failure
 Pneumonia
 Atelectasis
 Status Asthmaticus – is a severe asthma attack that

does not respond to the usual therapies.

– Although reversible, it is life threatening because it
can lead to respiratory failure and cardiac arrest.
 Includes a positive family history of asthma and allergies.
 Hyper expansion of the thorax, Use of accessory muscles, Appearance of
hunched shoulders and chest deformity.
 Sounds of wheezing during normal breathing, or a prolonged phase of
forced exhalation (typical of airflow obstruction). Wheezing during forced
exhalation is not a reliable indicator of airflow limitation. In mild
intermittent asthma, or between exacerbations, wheezing may be absent.
 Increased nasal secretion, mucosal swelling, and nasal polyps.
 Atopic dermatitis/eczema or any other manifestation of an allergic skin
condition
 Elevated levels of eosinophils from sputum and blood tests.
 Hypoxemia revealed by ABG analysis and pulse oximetry.
 Complete Pulmonary Function Testing to determine lung volumes and diffusing
capacity. This is often done if your asthma diagnosis is unclear. The test requires
you to sit inside a special box that helps determine how much air you breathe in
and out.
  Diffusion capacity measures how well oxygen flows from the lungs into your
blood. Poor diffusion indicates damage to the lung where the oxygen and blood
meet in the lungs. Diffusion capacity is usually normal in asthmatics.
 A chest x-ray is a test commonly preformed for patients who wheeze. An asthma
care provider will usually order one to make sure there is not some other
condition that may be causing your symptoms like a lung infection.
 Pulse oximetry is a non-invasive way to measure oxygenation of blood or how
well oxygen is being exchanged between the lungs and the blood
 An arterial blood gas (ABG) is an arterial blood sample used to determine how
well blood is oxygenated - a marker for oxygen exchange between the lungs and
the blood.
  Peak Expiratory Flow Monitoring - measures how fast air
comes out your lungs when you exhale forcefully which
helps measure asthma severity.
 The “Personal Best” is determined after monitoring peak
flows for 2 or 3 weeks after receiving optimal asthma
therapy.

Three Asthma Zones

1. Green zone: Asthma is well-controlled. PEF is 80 percent to
100 percent of your personal best.
2. Yellow zone: Asthma is flaring up or is poorly controlled.
PEF is 50 percent to 80 percent of your personal best.
3. Red zone: Asthma is severe; requires emergency care. PEF
is less than 50 percent of your personal best.
 Identify patient’s current use of medications.
 Obtain history of allergic reactions to medications
before administering the prescribed drug then monitor
it’s responses.
 Assess respiratory status by closely evaluating
breathing patterns, severity of symptoms, pulse
oximetry, peak flow and monitoring vital signs
 Administer fluid if dehydrated and antibiotics if having
respiratory infections.
 Promote adequate oxygenation and a normal
breathing pattern.