Question

Ruta is a 36 years old female with a weight of 60kg. She was admitted to the hospital on 15/04/2020. She was just getting home from her gardening and she just felt uneasy to breathe. She has been noticing for a while that she is having trouble in breathing and her chest tightens. She is also having coughing with mucus. She said because of shortness of breath (SOB), sometimes she is not able to speak in full sentence. She also stays awake occasionally in the night because of SOB and wheezing. Her past medical histories were hypercholesterolemia and asthma. She has no known drug and food allergy. She is working occasionally now and is living alone. She is a smoker and drinks occasionally. She has no known family history. The Emergency Department (ED) doctor has diagnosed her with Exacerbation of Asthma.

She is on salbutamol 200mcg as required.

Question

The following drugs are used in the management of asthma.

• Salbutamol

Choose ONE that is appropriate for your person/client. Discuss why it can be used by your person/client by referring to its mechanism of action.

Answer 1

In case of exacerabation of asthma the first line of treatment is concentrated to dilate the constricted bronchi and enhance breathing. Here Salbutamol is a bronchodilator.

The drug after administration enters the lungs and binds to the beta 2 receptor and leads to relaxation or dilation of the constricted bronchi. As a result of the dilation happens and increases oxygenation decreasing the patient symptoms .

It can be indicated to the patient because of its safety and efficiency in all group of aged patient with very minimal or no great adverse reactions.