ctrl fn alt alt A 10- year- old boy who is having an acute asthmatic attack is b
ID: 211375 • Letter: C
Question
ctrl fn alt alt A 10- year- old boy who is having an acute asthmatic attack is brought to the emergency department by his parents. The boy is observed to be sitting up and struggling to breathe. His breathing is accompanied by the used of the accessory muscles, a weak cough, and audible wheezing sounds. His pulse is rapid and weak and both heart and breath sounds are distant on the auscultation. His parents relate that his asthma began to worsen after he developed a "cold" and now he doesn't even get relief from his "albuterol" inhaler. 2. Explain the changes in physiologic function underlying this boys sign and symptoms a. What is the most probable reason for the progression of this boy's asthma in terms of the early- and late-phase response? b.Explanation / Answer
a] Asthma is a disease of the respiratory system . It might be genetic or it may occur due to certain pollutants and allergens like pollen grains, dust, aerosol etc. In severe asthmatic attacks, breathing becomes difficult due to the narrowing of the wind pipe due to accumulation of mucus in the air passage. Its symptoms are laboured breathing, a wheezing or whisteling sound accompanied by short bouts of cough. In some people, asthma attack occurs under certain physical and physiological conditions like respiratory infections, pollutants, change in season , emotional stress or heavy physical exercise. In some cases it is inherited and shows the symptoms throughout, but which are aggravated under certain conditions. Asthmatic attacks can be life threatening.
In the above case, the boy is suffering from acute asthmatic attack. His condition has aggravated after a cold which most probably was caused by viral infection. Surely, this boy is asthmatic because a simple cold will not lead to such a severe attack in a normal person. The virus infecting the respiratory tract has caused the production of excess mucus and a narrowing of the wind pipe. This has resulted in the laboured breathing, wheezing sound and a rapid heart beat. The heart beat rate has increased because the cells are deficient in oxygen due to insufficient supply of air in the lungs. The heart is working hard to improve the circulation to make up for the low air supply.
Overuse of the quick releif inhaler. albuterol, has also become ineffective because the condition has worsened and stronger medication is required to give relief to the patient.
b] In the beginning , the body's innate immune system must have responded to the cause of the asthmatic attack. The attack might have been triggered by any allergen like pollen grains, dust or pollutants like aerosol etc. Added to this, the viral infection played a huge role in worsening the condition of the boy. The immune system's response to this double attack is insufficient to give relief so, external medication and doctor's help has become imminent .
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