Question

1. What affect does Asthma have on compliance, resistance and work of breathing?
2. What is the physiology of Asthma that causes these affects?
3. How do the therapies for Asthma described in this lesson address these physiological consequences of Asthma?
4. What are the differences between Asthma and pneumonia?
5. How does pneumonia affect compliance, resistance to airflow and work of breathing

Answer 1

Ans)

1. What affect does Asthma have on compliance, resistance and work of breathing?

Compliance is increased in obstructive lung disease like pulmonary emphysema, less in asthma and at a minor degree in chronic bronchitis. In emphysema, the elastic recoil is decreased and the P-V curve is shifted up and left. This is due to the loss of elastic tissue as a result of alveolar wall destruction.

In asthma, increased airway resistance and hyperinflation (to stiffer parts of the pressure– volume curve) lead to increased work of breathing

2. What is the physiology of Asthma that causes these affects?

During an asthma episode, inflamed airways react to environmental triggers such as smoke, dust, or pollen. The airways narrow and produce excess mucus, making it difficult to breathe. In essence, asthma is the result of an immune response in the bronchial airways.

3. How do the therapies for Asthma described in this lesson address these physiological consequences of Asthma?

Asthma can usually be managed with rescue inhalers to treat symptoms (salbutamol) and controller inhalers that prevent symptoms (steroids). Severe cases may require longer-acting inhalers that keep the airways open (formoterol, salmeterol, tiotropium), as well as inhalant steroids.

4. What are the differences between Asthma and pneumonia?

Asthma is a chronic, noninfectious condition

whereas pneumonia is a lung infection

  5. How does pneumonia affect compliance, resistance to airflow and work of breathing

This loss of volume reduces total lung compliance and increases the work of breathing. There is also evidence that the dynamic compliance of the remaining ventilated lung is reduced in pneumococcal pneumonia, possibly by reduction in surfactant activity, further increasing the work of breathing.