Case Study of Jessica: Asthma Assignment
Case Study of Jessica: Asthma Assignment
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Introduction
The case study in the slide talks about the medical condition of a five-year-old girl Jessica. After going through the process of diagnosis, Jessica is reported to be suffering from asthma condition. Apart from that, the writing is going to outline on how the two drugs, Salbutamol and Prednisolone, work in the body of Jessica to fight asthma. In this paper, it is going to outline how the two drugs, Salbutamol and Prednisolone, can help Jessica in the treatment and management of asthma. Pharmacology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study of how drugs function in one’s body (Bisgaard, 2013). Every medication that people take have effects, and even some results may be harmful due to excessive consumption. Pharmacology focuses on how to improve the life of the individual by discovering new drugs that fight diseases.
Asthma is a respiratory disorder that attacks the paths followed by air to and from the lungs. Asthma disease causes inflammation and swelling of air paths. When these airways swell, the trails become narrower, and little air can get their way to the lungs. The air paths become highly allergic and sensitive. In the case of Jessica, the disease might have been caused by exposure to some respiratory defects, inhalation of airborne and cold infection (“National Asthma Education, Prevention Program,” 2013). Asthma attack has severe defects to children of age five like Jessica. It causes interference to the routine activities such as sleep, school, and playing. Jessica will always become bored and inactive in class. The following are the signs Jessica is going to experience due to asthma attack.
Breath shortness at all times. Frequently feeling of pain in the chest. When breathing out, Jessica produces a whistling sound at all times. Jessica also thinks that his or her chest is tight and congest (“National Asthma Education, Prevention Program,” 2013). There is frequent coughing in Jessica, which is uncontrollable. Jessica develops the complication and cannot play with others the because of the shortness of breath. The constant coughing makes the Jessica lack enough sleep. There is the worse respiratory infection in the body of Jessica.
The causes of asthma vary, but in the case of Jessica, the most vital thing that may cause asthma in her is the drug lifestyle of her parents (Wallace, 2013). When Jessica’s father was smoking, she was exposed to the tobacco smoke, frequently breathes in the smoke, and those results in the asthma attack. However, there are some other common causes, which may also influence the case such as: Exposure to some environmental factors such as air pollution, inheriting some traits from the parents (Burks et al., 2013). Changes in the weather conditions or just exposure to cold air lead to the asthma attack and attack by airborne diseases at a very tender age.
History of attack by asthma in the family.
The signs and symptoms of asthma are many but the main one is the breathing problems. This is the most common symptom in an asthma patient which is the same case in Jessica. That’s why the medication below are very important because they help solve this issue.
Salbutamol drug
Salbutamol is a drug that falls under the category of bronchodilators medicine. It belongs to B2-adrenergic agonists. Salbutamol is used in the treatment of chronic bronchitis, asthma together with many other breathing problems When this drug is inhaled, it prevents the occurrence of asthma in the body that comes because of the exercise. There is a specific way in which this drug operates in the human body (Burks et al2013). The drug gets into the air paths located in the lungs and stretches the muscles found in the walls of these airways. When stating earlier on the effects of asthma, it makes the air paths narrower thus preventing maximum passage of air. The salbutamol drugs try to correct this defect by relaxing the tight muscles in the walls of the airways.
The drug always comes in an isotonic solution form, and the doctor is the one who recommends the best dose to Jessica. Then Jessica should not start taking the drug without consulting the doctor. There are ways to apply this medication. Each form of salbutamol drug is used for the specific age group (Wallace et al., 2013). Another thing that depends on the dosage is how severe the pain is. For instance, the aerosol inhaler is a type of a dose used to counter one, and two inhalations usually referred to as puffs. The aerosol inhaler is mostly recommended for patients of twelve years of age and above. On the other hand, in the case of Jessica, she is a child and can take one puff of the drug. The doctor making the diagnosis may recommend more winds depending on how severe the asthma disease has reached on the body of Jessica.
Every day may also defer according to the age of the patients. As the children of fours and above consume four puffs a day like in this case of Jessica, the adults of twelve years and above may take up to eight whiffs in a day. The inhaler is also recommended before going for an exercise. The individuals who have asthma usually develop difficulty in breathing when taking part in the activity. Jessica should bring one puff as the adult can take up to two winds to prevent shortening of breath. The other type of salbutamol drug is the nebulizer solution. It always comes in the milligram (Breuer et al., 2015). The adults of twelve years consume 3.0mg to 6.0mg, four times a day while in this situation of Jessica; she should consume only 3.0mg in a day.
On the other hand, there is another type of dose to control the signs and symptoms of asthma. It is taken through inhalation. Jessica may inhale one puff as the adults survive with four winds. Some factors determine the type of medication the patient undertakes. These factors include medical conditions, body weight among other factors. According to these factors, it is good for Jessica to seek the doctor’s advice before taking any dose. However, there are some other common side effects when taking this drug (Lambrecht and Hammad, 2015). These side effects include faster heartbeat, dizziness, headache, nervousness, fatigue, nausea, weakness, coughing, irritated throat, and restlessness.
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Other health conditions may complicate one’s body when he or she is taking the drug. For instance, if Jessica is suffering from diabetes. Taking salbutamol leads to increase in sugar in the blood. It is vital that the parents discuss her condition with the doctor before taking any drug. Secondly, if Jessica is having heart problems may have some difficulty while consuming this drug. The drug may lead to some health problems if Jessica was suffering from high blood pressure among other heart diseases (Wallace et al., 2013). The other precautions that Jessica should check while taking these drugs is when she is allergic to various ingredients of medicine should not make the drug. Jessica’s parents should guide her while consuming the drug.
How does the drug work? The work of this medication is to expand the lungs of the patient who in this case is Jessica. When the lungs are extended, the breathing problems cannot be a problem again (Chung et al., (2013). It is one of the best medication ever since it simple but works in an extraordinary manner.
Prednisolone
Prednisolone refers to the oral steroid that helps in curbing the movement of essential substances from the body that leads to inflammation. This steroid is used in controlling many defects including ulcerative colitis, arthritis, and psoriasis among other disorders. The drug also deals with the allergic diseases and any other complications that may affect lungs, skin or blood cells of Jessica. In many occasions, the medication is recommended when the signs and symptoms of asthma persist in the body of Jessica. Unlike salbutamol drug, which is mainly inhalant, prednisolone, is oral (Akinbami et al., 2012). When this drug is consumed in the mouth, it is directed to the blood cells. The inhalants usually go to the lungs while this steroid move into the bloodstream. Other drugs accompany prednisolone in the fight of severe signs caused by asthma.
The amount of drug that Jessica should takes depends on how severe the asthma is with her. For instance, …