Causes and Treatments of Respiratory Conditions - NCLEX-PN

Incidence of asthma is lower in populations exposed to an abundance of microbes from a young age. The "hygiene hypothesis" suggests that early immune stimulation by multiple forms of infectious agents may push a Th1 phenotype, reducing the Th2 (allergic) response.

The most commonly reported triggers for asthma attacks are cold air, emotional stress or excitement, infection, irritants such as pollen or dust mites, and exercise. Other triggers may include lying down, exposure to cigarette smoke, or acid reflux.

Chronic asthma can result in a situation referred to as "airway remodeling," typified by the following changes: increased airway vascularity, epithelial desquamation, deposition of subepithelial collagen, and hypertrophy and hyperplasia of mucus glands and of the underlying muscle layer.

Destruction of alveolar septa and pulmonary capillaries is a common finding in emphysema and does not present in asthma.

Isoniazid is a bactericidal drug that is given for tuberculosis that has several adverse effects including peripheral neuropathy. This drug is usually administered in conjunction to other antitubercular drugs. Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) is recommended to be taken in conjunction with isoniazid to prevent neurotoxicity.

Isoniazid is relatively inexpensive and may be taken orally or intravenously. It is not necessary to be taken under direct observation, and is usually dosed according to type of disease (active versus latent). The typical duration of administration is roughly 26 weeks. Color blindness is not associated with isoniazid treatment.

Antibiotics have been shown to have very little effectiveness in treating a pertussis infection older than four weeks. Because of this, treatment with antibiotics to individuals that have been symptomatic for longer than four weeks is not generally recommended.

The oxygen concentration should be the lowest possible, due to the risk of oxygen toxicity seen in clients with FIO2 (fraction of inspired oxygen) levels exceeding 60% for more than 48 hours.

The correct placement of tubing includes directing a tube apically to remove air from the pleural space, and to direct the tube that will drain fluids in an inferior and posterior orientation.

Albuterol is a beta adrenergic agonist. It helps to open up the airways during an asthma exacerbation by activating the beta adrenergic receptors, part of the sympathetic nervous system. Side effects include increased heart rate.

The inspiratory reserve volume for the average adult is roughly 3100mL. It is tested using pulmonary function tests. The inspiratory reserve volume is the amount of air able to be inhaled after a regular inhalation. This is in contrast to the expiratory reserve volume, which is the amount of air that can be exhaled after a regular exhalation.

Asthma is treated with albuterol. This drug is a beta-2 agonist, which works to relax smooth muscle in the lungs, and open up the airways. A consequence of this drug is the beta-2 effects on the heart. Beta-2 on the heart causes an increase in heart rate (tachycardia) and is a common side effect seen in the treatment of asthmatics.

The correct answer is "Asthma." This answer is correct because asthma is an inflammatory airway condition that is characteristically improved symptomatically and quantitatively (in terms of pulmonary function tests, including FEV1 readings) with bronchodilator administration (e.g. albuterol, the beta-2 adrenergic agonist administered in this patient). In this patient who presented for evaluation of wheezing, a characteristic symptom of asthma, his substantial response to bronchodilator administration makes the likelihood of an asthma diagnosis very high.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an obstructive physiology of the airways often due to chronic tobacco smoking. While bronchodilators may be of some clinical value in these patients, their FEV1 readings characteristically do not correct after bronchodilator administration, as this is a major method in which COPD can be distinguished from asthma and other inflammatory airway conditions.

Sarcoidosis, lung cancer, and throat cancer symptoms would not necessarily improve with bronchodilator administration, nor would pulmonary function test readings in patients with these conditions.

The correct answer is "continuous positive airway pressure mask (CPAP)." This is the correct answer as a CPAP mask helps to force airway into the lungs that is otherwise obstructed by the patient's oropharyngeal anatomy at standard breathing pressures due to obstructive sleep apnea. When wearing a CPAP mask (typically when sleeping), snoring is reduced, and oxygenation is improved, allowing patients to have a more restful sleep and feel less fatigued the following day.

While medications like metoprolol, insulin, and metformin may be beneficial to the patient in treating his conditions co-morbid to obstructive sleep apnea, they do not have a direct effect on treating his sleep apnea or the resultant fatigue.

Tamsulosin is an alpha-adrenergic blocker and can be used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia among other conditions, but not obstructive sleep apnea.

COPD is a chronic lung condition marked by air trapping. Patients with COPD are instructed to sit in the "tripod" position to help them exhale air. Patients sit and lean forward to help maximize air exiting from the lungs.

Incidence of asthma is lower in populations exposed to an abundance of microbes from a young age. The "hygiene hypothesis" suggests that early immune stimulation by multiple forms of infectious agents may push a Th1 phenotype, reducing the Th2 (allergic) response.

The most commonly reported triggers for asthma attacks are cold air, emotional stress or excitement, infection, irritants such as pollen or dust mites, and exercise. Other triggers may include lying down, exposure to cigarette smoke, or acid reflux.

Chronic asthma can result in a situation referred to as "airway remodeling," typified by the following changes: increased airway vascularity, epithelial desquamation, deposition of subepithelial collagen, and hypertrophy and hyperplasia of mucus glands and of the underlying muscle layer.

Destruction of alveolar septa and pulmonary capillaries is a common finding in emphysema and does not present in asthma.

Isoniazid is a bactericidal drug that is given for tuberculosis that has several adverse effects including peripheral neuropathy. This drug is usually administered in conjunction to other antitubercular drugs. Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) is recommended to be taken in conjunction with isoniazid to prevent neurotoxicity.

Isoniazid is relatively inexpensive and may be taken orally or intravenously. It is not necessary to be taken under direct observation, and is usually dosed according to type of disease (active versus latent). The typical duration of administration is roughly 26 weeks. Color blindness is not associated with isoniazid treatment.

Antibiotics have been shown to have very little effectiveness in treating a pertussis infection older than four weeks. Because of this, treatment with antibiotics to individuals that have been symptomatic for longer than four weeks is not generally recommended.

The oxygen concentration should be the lowest possible, due to the risk of oxygen toxicity seen in clients with FIO2 (fraction of inspired oxygen) levels exceeding 60% for more than 48 hours.