Question

Question 2: List two (2) complications from asthma  

Using your knowledge of anatomy and pathophysiology, explain in detail why one of these complications could occur. Ensure ALL your statements are supported with scholarly recent and relevant literature

Answer 1

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways. It can cause symptoms such as:

wheezing, a sound similar to whistling while you breathe

difficulty breathing

a tight feeling in your chest

coughing

Symptom severity varies from person to person. Sometimes wheezing and coughing can trigger an asthma attack, where symptoms temporarily get worse. There’s no cure for asthma, but treatment can help. It’s important to treat the condition early to prevent health complications from developing

Complications

Airway remodeling

For some people, asthma causes ongoing chronic inflammation of the airway. This can lead to permanent structural changes in the airways, or airway remodeling. Airway remodeling includes all the alterations in structural cells and tissues in an asthmatic airway. Changes in the airway can lead to:

loss of lung function

chronic coughing

airway wall thickening

increased mucous glands and mucus production

increased blood supply in the airways

2)

Asthma attack and respiratory failure

People with severe asthma also have an increased risk for respiratory failure. Respiratory failure occurs when not enough oxygen travels from your lungs to your blood. Life-threatening asthma is rare, but tends to cause symptoms that get progressively worse over several days. Ask your doctor more about your treatment options and how to manage your condition, if you believe you may have asthma that is life-threatening.

If respiratory failure isn’t treated immediately, it can lead to death