Signs & Symptoms Of Asthma Flashcards

Which symptom is described by patients as 'chest tightness' in asthma and is caused by:

Answer: Bronchoconstriction increasing airway resistance and triggering sensory nerve activation

Chest tightness in asthma results from bronchoconstriction stimulating sensory C-fibers in airway walls, creating a sensation of constriction or pressure.

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) symptoms typically occur:

Answer: 5–10 minutes after stopping strenuous exercise

EIB symptoms typically begin 5–10 minutes after stopping exercise as airway cooling and drying trigger mast cell mediator release and bronchoconstriction.

Hypoxemia in acute severe asthma is PRIMARILY caused by:

Answer: Ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) mismatch from uneven airway obstruction

V/Q mismatch occurs when obstructed airways lead to underventilated but still-perfused lung units, resulting in hypoxemia during acute asthma.

Which respiratory pattern is characteristic of a moderate asthma exacerbation?

Answer: Tachypnea with prolonged expiratory phase

Moderate asthma exacerbations produce tachypnea with a prolonged expiratory phase due to air trapping and expiratory flow limitation.

A patient with asthma who is speaking in phrases rather than full sentences during an acute attack is classified as having:

Answer: Moderate exacerbation

The ability to speak in phrases but not full sentences indicates a moderate asthma exacerbation; inability to speak indicates severe exacerbation.

Which finding on auscultation would be expected during the expiratory phase of a mild asthma episode?

Answer: End-expiratory wheeze

In mild asthma, wheezing may only be detectable at the end of expiration when airway narrowing is less severe but still present.

Nasal polyps in a patient with asthma and aspirin sensitivity describes which clinical triad?

Answer: Samter's triad (aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease)

Samter's triad consists of asthma, nasal polyps, and aspirin/NSAID sensitivity, and is associated with particularly severe or difficult-to-control asthma.