Asthma Case Study: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Treatment

Asthma is a very widespread disease that affects the airways and prevents normal breathing. Every 1 in 12 people in the USA suffers from some form of asthma (“Asthma statistics,” 2017). The degrees of severity vary from person to person – it can be a minor inconvenience to some and life-threatening disease to others. It is possible to control the severity of the disease by following an activity and diet schedule, knowing the triggers, and administrating medicine in time. In this case study, we will analyze the case of Emilia Garcia and determine what should be done to prevent another acute asthmatic arrest.

Pathophysiology of Asthma

Asthma is commonly described as a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the airways, causing canal contractions and mucus secretion, which prevents airflow and can potentially cause suffocation. The pathogenesis of asthma includes the infiltration of inflammatory agents, such as neutrophils (common for acute asthma exacerbations), eosinophils, lymphocytes, mast cell activation, and epithelial cell injury (“Causes,” 2017). The inflammation of the airway contributes to hypersensitivity of the epithelial layer, which in turn causes other respiratory symptoms and contributes to the disease’s chronicity. Cases of persistent airway changes may occur, which include secretion of mucus, hypertrophy of smooth muscles of the airway, angiogenesis, and fibrosis (“Causes,” 2017). Genetic predisposition, known as Atopy, is one of the strongest identifiable factors when diagnosing asthma. Other typical causes of asthma include viral respiratory infections, airborne substances such as pollen and dander, air pollutants, as well as intense physical activity (“Causes,” 2017). In Emilia Garcia’s scenario, the asthmatic arrest was caused by dander coming from her new dog. Although her mother was assured that this particular breed of dog would not cause an asthmatic episode, that assessment was obviously inaccurate.

Asthma Diagnosis and Potential Complications for Emilia Garcia

Typically, asthma is diagnosed using physical examinations, revising the patient’s medical history, and performing various tests in order to ensure the accuracy of the diagnosis. The most common diagnostic test used to identify asthma in patients is the Lung Function Test, also known as Spirometry (“How is asthma diagnosed,” 2017). It allows the doctor to find out how much air can a patient breathe in, breathe out, and at what speed does the patient blows the air out. After the initial test is completed, the patient is given asthmatic medicine, and the test is repeated. If the results are below the norm during the initial test and gradually improve with the introduction of the medicine, the diagnosis is very likely to be asthma. Potential complications for Emilia Garcia include fatigue, reduced physical performance, stress and psychological disorders, as well as pneumonia, lung collapse, and respiratory failure (“How is asthma diagnosed,” 2017).

Treatment of Asthma

While asthma cannot be cured, its symptoms could be controlled with the use of a complex of medicines aimed to combat the effects of the disease in long and short-term. Long-term medicaments include inhaled corticosteroids (fluticasone), leukotriene modifiers (montelukast), and combination inhalers. Short-term medicines include short-acting beta-agonists (albuterol), as well as oral and intravenous corticosteroids (methylprednisolone) (“Treatments and drugs,” 2017).

As the symptoms of acute asthmatic incidents were already treated, Emilia’s condition could be treated with Fluticasone, Montelukast, and Fluticasone-Salmeterol, which is a combination inhaler. In addition, the dog would need to be removed from the household, as it is a source of pet dander.

Plan of Care

The information provided in the patient’s medical history states that the child’s parents have a poor understanding of the gravity of the disease and the importance of inhalers as well as the peak flow meter. They must be thoroughly educated on the disease’s symptoms, triggers, and the use of equipment. The child must also be instructed accordingly and must avoid potential triggers of asthma at all costs. Medicines mentioned in the previous section must be taken at appropriate intervals and without delay.

References

Asthma statistics. (2017). Web.

Causes. (2017). Web.

How is asthma diagnosed. (2017). Web.

Treatments and drugs. (2017). Web.

Cite this paper

Select style

Reference

StudyCorgi. (2022, May 28). Asthma Case Study: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Treatment. https://studycorgi.com/asthma-case-study-pathophysiology-diagnosis-treatment/

Work Cited

"Asthma Case Study: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Treatment." StudyCorgi, 28 May 2022, studycorgi.com/asthma-case-study-pathophysiology-diagnosis-treatment/.

* Hyperlink the URL after pasting it to your document

References

StudyCorgi. (2022) 'Asthma Case Study: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Treatment'. 28 May.

1. StudyCorgi. "Asthma Case Study: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Treatment." May 28, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/asthma-case-study-pathophysiology-diagnosis-treatment/.


Bibliography


StudyCorgi. "Asthma Case Study: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Treatment." May 28, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/asthma-case-study-pathophysiology-diagnosis-treatment/.

References

StudyCorgi. 2022. "Asthma Case Study: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Treatment." May 28, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/asthma-case-study-pathophysiology-diagnosis-treatment/.

This paper, “Asthma Case Study: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Treatment”, was written and voluntary submitted to our free essay database by a straight-A student. Please ensure you properly reference the paper if you're using it to write your assignment.

Before publication, the StudyCorgi editorial team proofread and checked the paper to make sure it meets the highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, fact accuracy, copyright issues, and inclusive language. Last updated: .

If you are the author of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal. Please use the “Donate your paper” form to submit an essay.