Characterized by three components:
Reversible airway obstruction
Airway inflammation
Airway hyperresponsiveness to a variety of stimuli
Diagnosis (the three “R”s)
Recurrence: Symptoms are...
Asthma is primarily a clinical diagnosis, based on evidence of recurrent, reversible bronchoconstriction and/or inflammation.
Initial diagnosis focuses on establishing asthma as the cause of ...
High risk of poor adherence with therapy when symptoms are controlled
Proper technique must be used to ensure efficacy of inhaled medications.
Goals of acute therapy are ...
Asthma is highly variable over time, and regular, long-term follow-up is essential to maintain normal activity and pulmonary function.
Assess medication adherence,...
Chauhan BF, Chartrand C, Ducharme FM. Intermittent versus daily inhaled corticosteroids for persistent asthma in children and adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;(2):CD00...
493.90 Asthma,unspecified type, unspecified
493.92 Asthma, unspecified type, with (acute) exacerbation
493.81 Exercise induced bronchospasm
493.00 Extrinsic asthma, unspecified
J45.909 Unsp...
Q: Will my child outgrow his or her asthma?
A: Family history is the biggest predictor of ultimate outcome. Wheezing during the first 3 years of life is extremely common. Many of these children do ...
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Asthma. The airways typically show mucus plugging.
Asthma. Mucous plug with intraluminal inflammatory cells and hyperplasia of airway smooth muscle.
Asthma. The inflammatory cell infiltrate, predominantly eosinophils, extends focally into airspaces.
<bold>Figure 35.5</bold> The child with asthma uses a peak flow meter and keeps track of readings on a daily basis.
FIGURE 66.1. Photomicrographs of a sputum sample from an asthmatic patient. All of the micrographs were taken of unstained sputum samples pressed between a cover slip and a clear microscope slide. A sample was observed using the 40X objective and the 10X eyepiece. The final magnification of the micrographs is 1860X. (A) The broad arrow points to the brush border of a ciliated epithelial cell. Note the cell's apical nucleus and its pointed tail, which serves to fix the cell to the basement m...
FIGURE 66.1. Photomicrographs of a sputum sample from an asthmatic patient. All of the micrographs were taken of unstained sputum samples ...
FIG. 2.2. Pulmonary complications. A: Sublobar atelectasis. Asthmatic child with acute asthma attack. Note area of apparent consolidation in the right paratracheal region (arrows). This represents collapse of one portion of the right upper lobe. A subtler finding assisting interpretation is that the minor fissure is slightly elevated. B: Pneumomediastinum. Asthmatic child with pneumomediastinum with air surrounding the small triangular thymus gland (T), extending as linear sheaths into the ...
FIG. 2.2. Pulmonary complications. A: Sublobar atelectasis. Asthmatic child with acute asthma attack. Note area of apparent consolidation ...
<bold>Figure 4.131. Asthma in a child. A,</bold> frontal and <bold>B,</bold> lateral views show hyperinflation. There is peribronchial cuffing (<i>arrows</i>). Note the flat diaphragm in <bold>B.</bold>
<bold>Figure 4.131. Asthma in a child. A,</bold> frontal and <bold>B,</bold> lateral views show hyperinflation. Th...