Asthma
Self-Study Examination
Instructions: After studying the text answer the following true/false or multiple choice questions. Remember, there's only one answer to each question.
a) Unlike many chronic diseases, asthma often appears very early in childhood. b) Patients with severe asthma are fewer in number than those with minor asthma. c) Asthma is categorized as a condition with isolated episodes of bronchospasm in the lungs. d) Most asthma care should be provided at the primary health care level. e) The environmental factors, such as domestic mites and passive smoking, contribute significantly to the onset of asthma.
a) Atopy is one of the strongest predisposing factors for developing asthma. b) Atopy is defined as a genetic susceptibility for developing immunoglobulin IgE. c) Atopy occurs in 30 to 50% of the population. d) Atopy is almost always a result of some childhood disease. e) Atopy is also responsible for such diseases as conjunctivitis, eczema, and food allergy.
a) acute bronchoconstriction b) disordered lung function c) swelling of the airway wall d) chronic mucus plug formation e) airway wall remodeling
a) True b) False
a) allergy b) environment c) climate d) diet e) passive smoking
a) Atopy is considered the strongest identifiable risk factor for the development of asthma. b) Majority of children and adults with well-documented asthma are atopic. c) Not all individuals with atopy will develop asthma. d) all of the above e) none of the above
a) a child of non-atopic parents with asthma b) child of atopic parents with asthma
a) cough b) chest pains c) chest tightness d) wheezing e) dyspnea
a) Asthma is underdiagnosed and undertreated. b) Asthma can be diagnosed on the basis of symptoms. c) Many patients tolerate intermittent respiratory symptoms before obtaining a medical opinion. d) Asthma is often diagnosed as a variant form of bronchitis. e) "All that wheezes is not asthma."
a) history of colds b) recurrent attacks of wheezing c) cough or wheeze after exercise d) attack of shortness of breath while at rest e) troublesome cough at night
a) greater than 75% b) less than 75% c) 50% d) less than 50%
a) in the morning b) at night c) after inhaling a shortacting bronchodilator
a) less than 20% b) more than 20%
a) measure airway hyperresponsiveness b) provoke the airways with a suspected sensitizing agent c) antigen provocation d) start a trial treatment with a shortacting beta2agonist and a corticosteroid e) skin test with allergens
a) infection of the sinuses b) cystic fibrosis c) recurrent milk inhalation d) congenital heart disease e) foreign body aspiration
a) nocturnal coughing b) measure of airflow limitation c) exercise- induced asthma symptoms d) repeated coughing with viral illness
a) structural damage to the lung due to smoking b) life-long exposure to inhaled environmental insults c) difficulty in performing lung function tests d) left ventricular failure
a) occupational history b) history of smoking c) absence of asthma symptoms before beginning employment d) relationship between development of symptoms at the workplace and reduction of these on withdrawal from the workplace
a) wheezing in an infant under 6 months b) wheezing in an 18-month infant
a) severe persistent b) moderate persistent c) mild persistent d) intermittent persistent
a) reducing exposure to domestic mites b) moving to a less polluted city c) prevent viral infections d) eat more fish and less eggs
a) family history of asthma b) how frequently the patient is using reliever medication c) how frequently the patient has experienced nighttime symptoms such as cough, wheezing or breathlessness d) how frequently the patient limits normal activities
a) Ideally, PEF measurement should be taken twice daily. b) If PEF measurements are taken only once daily, they should be done in the evening before going to bed. c) If PEF is being measured only 2 or 3 times a week, it is best to do both a morning and an evening reading on the same day. d) Any variation in PEF measurement taken before and after using a bronchodilator of greater than 20% would indicate worsening of asthma.
a) assessing severity of an asthma exacerbation b) assessing pulmonary function c) determining variability of PEF d) prescribing the level of medication
a) Mattresses, box springs and pillows should be encased appropriately. b) Bed linens and blankets should be washed regularly in hot water to ensure mite killing. c) Ideally, the carpets should be removed and replaced by vinyl or polished wooden floor boards. d) Use of acaricides (substances that kill mites via chemical action)
a) avoid unnecessary physical activity b) avoid exposure to dust and other irritants c) try to stay indoors in a clean environment d) if necessary, leave the polluted area temporarily e) increase the dosage and frequency of beta-blocker drugs
a) sulfites b) yellow-dye tartrazine c) benzoate d) monosodium glutamate
a) Specific immunotherapy may be considered when avoiding allergens is not possible. b) Specific immunotherapy is not recommended for patients with multiple allergen sensitivities.. c) Specific immunotherapy is more effective in the elderly than in children and young adults. d) Specific immunotherapy has been demonstrated to be effective in asthma caused by grass pollen, domestic mites and animal dander.
a) inhalation b) oral (ingested) c) parenteral
a) Since a minimal inspiratory flow rate is necessary to inhale, it may be difficult for some patients to use during an exacerbation. b) It requires training and skill to coordinate activation of the drug through inhalation. c) Storage in humid climates is more difficult.
a) metered-dose inhalers b) dry powder system c) nebulizers
a) Long-acting inhaled beta2 -agonists are bronchodilator medications. b) In addition to this bronchodilating action, these drugs influence a persistent inflammatory changes in asthma. c) Generally, long-acting inhaled beta2-agonist should be considered when standard introductory doses of inhaled corticosteroids fail to achieve control of asthma. d) These medications may also be used to prevent exercise-asthma.
a) acupuncture b) homeopathy c) herbal medicine d) Ayurvedic e) none of the above
a) the patient would talk in words instead of sentences b) would have loud wheezing c) PEF after initial bronchodilator would be between 60 and 80% predicted or personal best d) respiratory rate would be greater than 30/min.
a) administer oxygen to achieve arterial oxygen saturation of greater than or equal to 90% b) administer inhaled mucolytic drugs c) if necessary, sedate the patient d) give antihistamines e) provide chest physical therapy
a) the patient should be on discharged medications for at least 12-24 hours before leaving supervision. b) short-acting inhaled beta2-agonist as needed no more frequently than every 4 hours c) patient is able to walk comfortably d) patient is not waking at night or in the early morning and needing his or her bronchodilator e) PEF or FEV1 is more than 70-80% of predicted or personal best after short- acting inhaled beta2 -agonist.
a) Physical activity is an important trigger of asthma exacerbations. b) Exercise-induced asthma (EIA) increases substantially in breathing dry cold air and is uncommon in hot, humid climates. c) EIA can be treated effectively. d) EIA patients should be advised to limit their sports and physical activities.
a) Death from asthma in rare. b) People with asthma should avoid exercise. c) Asthma cannot be cured, but it can be controlled. d) Asthma medicines are safe if taken as prescribed.
a) at the beginning of the exercise b) at the peak of exercise c) 5-10 minutes after stopping exercise d) at night after the vigorous exercise day
a) Avoid decongestants during pregnancy. b) Most asthma medicines will not harm the baby. c) Asthma symptoms may be most severe between 29 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. d) Woman taking asthma medicines should not breastfeed the baby.
a) Give the infant extra amounts of liquids to drink. b) Have the infant breathe warm, moist air. c) Let the infant breathe from a tightly-held bag over his or her nose and mouth. d) Avoid giving the infant over-the-counter antihistamines and cold remedies.
a) Bronchodilator medicine must be taken at the earliest sign of asthma. b) If the asthma episode persists, follow-up with anti-inflammatory medicine. c) none of the above d) both of the above