Asthma

Question 1

What is asthma?

Answer 1

• episodic wheeze and/or cough
• where asthma is likely
• and other rarer conditions have been excluded

Question 2

What are features of asthma?

Answer 2

• panting
• chronic
• wheeze, cough, SOB at rest
• multiple triggers
• URTI, exercise, allergen, cold weather, etc
• variable, reversible
• responds to asthma treatment

Question 3

What is the epidemiology of asthma?

Answer 3

• 1 million UK school children
• 5% UK children on inhaled steroids

Question 4

What is the aetiology of asthma?

Answer 4

• infant onset
• childhood onset
• adulthood onset
• excertional asthma
• occupational asthma
• genes
• inherently abnormal lungs
• early onset atrophy
• later exposure (rhinovirus, exercise, smoking)

Question 5

When are symptoms unlikely or likely to be asthma?

Answer 5

• < 18 months- most likely infection
• > 5 yrs- most likely asthma

Question 6

What are different classes of asthma medication?

Answer 6

• short acting beta agonists
• inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)
• long acting beta agonists
• leukotiene receptor antagonists
• thyophyllines
• oral steroids