Clinical Features And Investigations Of Asthma

Clinical features and investigations of asthma is explained in very simple wording and style. Easy to remember and present due to interesting pictures. Helpful for medical students, patients with asthma and knowledge seekers.

1. CLINICAL FEATURES AND INVESTIGATIONS OF ASTHMA Dr. Maria S heraz Khan BSC,MBB S

2. Types Of Asthma Episodic asthma Chronic asthma Severe acute asthma Occupational asthma Exercise induced asthma And many other types

3. Episodic Asthma Patient has no respiratory symptoms between episodes of asthma. Attack of wheeze and dyspnea may occur at any time and it is of sudden onset. Duration of attack varies from few minutes to several days.

4. Occupational asthma: it is the type of asthma that is precipitated during work hours due to the presence of an irritant at the work place.

5. IT`S NOT EASY TO HAVE ASTHMA

6. INVESTIGATIONS

7. COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT CBC : shows Eosinophilia

8. MEASUREMENT OF ALLERGIC STATUS The presence of atopy is indicated by skin prick test Similar information may be provided by the measurement of total and allergen-specific IgE A peripheral blood picture may show eosinophilia.

9. Chest X-RAY

10. SPUTUM DIFFERENTIAL EOSINOPHIL COUNT Sputum differential eosinophil count is grater than 2% and charcot – Leyden crystals are also present.

11. SPIROMETERY FEV1/FVC ratio is low,(less then 80%) there is resistance in the lung that is characteristic of obstruction. In this instance, it is difficult for the patient to get the air out of the lungs. It takes a long time to reach the maximal exhalation volume. example is ASTHMA .

12. SPIROMETERY Reversibility Test: Spirometery is performed before and then after 15 minutes of administration of bronchodilator (salbutamol) if there is 12% increase in FEV1 then it is diagnostic of asthma

13. TYPE 1 RESPIRATORY FALIURE : the blood gases are disturbed PaCo2 is low while PaO2 is normal or low . TYPE 2 RESPIRATORY FALIURE: PaCO2 is in upper normal range or higher with low PO2 it is a grave sign and indicates a very severe attack.

14. PEAK FLOW METER Readings are taken early in the morning and before retiring in the evening A diurnal variation of more than 20% is considered diagnostic. The magnitude of variability provides some indication of disease severity. A trail of corticosteroid may be useful in establishing the diagnosis by demonstrating an improvement in FEV1 or PEF.

15. METHACOLINE TEST This test is use to assist the diagnosis of asthma. The pt. breath in nebulize methacoline which result in bronco-constriction or narrowing of air way the degree of narrowing can be quantified by Spirometery.

16. DETECTION OF OCCUPATIONAL ALLERGENS In this experiment the patient records his/her peak expiratory flow rate after every 2-3hours and record it in a chart this include the working hours as well as at the weekends . After the week the measurement are compared in respect with working and non-workings hours and similarly deduced as asthma cause by any occupational hazard.

17. AND ALSO NOT DIFFICULT TO HAVE IT

18. ALL YOU NEED IS

19. CARE

20. SUPPORT

21. AND PROPER TREATMENT