Asthma Case Study

Asthma is a respitory inflammatory disease prevalent in the lives of many Australians, this condition has been though to be brought on through a client's genetics or environmental factors such as air pollution. Asthma can often be categorized through a patients noticable and long-term symptoms which will be detailed through out this case.
This case study for the patient depicted dislosures the pathophysiology and management of an asthmatic process. Though there is no cure for asthma, there are a number of preventatives and treatments that can be administered to avoid certain symptoms and triggers from occuring. The category that asthma can be best described under is a chronic disease, although being quite common among many people. Asthma
This remodelling can consist of changes such as mucosal edema, inflammation, mucus hypersecretion, formation of mucus plugs, hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the airway smooth muscle. An increased wall thickness results in an obstruction in most airway diseases, and can be more pronounced in asthma. This is due to overdeveloped mucus glands, airway thickening due to scarring and inflammation and bronchoconstriction, the narrowing of the airways in the lungs due to the tightening of the surrounding smooth muscle. Bronchial inflammation also causes naroowing due to edema and swelling caused by an immune respsonse to allergens. A bronchial spasm as a result can be caused from a variety of stimuli and can also be present in inflammatory airway disease. Stimuli's can be pets, pollen, bugs in the home or fungus, dust, strong odors, cold air, pollution, smoke, chemical fumes, exercise, anger, and stress. Asthma symptoms are commonly presented as shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing early in the morning or at night time, and the production of sputum. Commorbidities play a vital role in the evaluation and treatment of a patient's asthma which may affect its severity and progression. These underlying conditions can share a common root cause, however how comorbidities interact with asthma is still undefined.
genetic and predisposing factors that are associated or influenced with an increased risk of asthma. The risk of asthma is increased by 50% in people who are overweight and obese[ajs CITE]. Evidenced by obese patients upon assessment presenting a specific type of asthma, this association clinicaly shows itself in the form of lower lung volume of breathing, a less eosinophilic inflammatory process and a reduced response to asthma medications [x-halo]. Citation explains that "it has been suggested that obese asthmatic patients have an altered response to asthma medications, particularly a reduced response to inhaled corticosteroids “ [cite] Because obesity is a part of metabolic processes which associates with systemic inflammation, there is some kind relationship to be derived. Another underlying factor being that hypertension is a common presentation in obese patients , Increased systemic levels of endothelin are also common in obesity-related hypertension and endothelin is a potent bronchoconstrictor