The Interview

1)Are there certain things a patient can change in their life to reduce the risk of an asthma attack?

If you have allergies and asthma, it’s important to minimize your exposure to allergens (substances to which you are allergic). Allergen exposure can temporarily increase the inflammation of the airways in a person with asthma, making them more susceptible to an asthma attack. Avoiding or minimizing contact with the allergen can help prevent an asthma attack.Smoke and asthma are a bad mix. Minimize exposure to all sources of smoke, including tobacco, incense, candles, fires, and fireworks. Avoid close contact with people who have a cold or the flu, because your asthma symptoms may worsen if you catch the infection from them. Wash your hands thoroughly after touching items that may have been handled by others with a respiratory infection.

Reflection: I thought this was interesting because all along i thought asthma was in most cases was genetically caused, yet you can very easily prevent it by isolating yourself from dangerous environmental factors and maintaining hygiene.

2) What tests do you recommend to rule out asthma?

The two most common lung function tests used to diagnose asthma are spirometry and methacholine challenge tests. Spirometry is a simple breathing test that measures how much and how fast you can blow air out of your lungs. It is often used to determine the amount of airway obstruction you have.

Reflection: I thought the process of how this test function was very interesting because a simple test can help determine life challenging disease.

3)Are there some alternative therapies you suggest your patients can do along with their asthma medications?

Nutritious diet helps you stay healthy. And, more and more studies show that certain vitamins and nutrients found in foods may help relieve asthma symptoms in some people. Three that seem promising include:Antioxidants.Omega-3 fatty acids Vitamin D.

Reflection: I thought this was interesting because these items are easily accessible and have many health benefits and can help relieve symptoms

4)What are some common triggers you have noticed throughout your career for an asthma attack?Outdoor allergens, such as pollens from grass, trees and weeds,indoor allergens, such as pet dander, dust mites and told, and certain drugs and food additives Irritants in the air, such as smoke, chemical fumes and strong odors Colds, the flu or other illnesses Exercise (although people with asthma can benefit from some exercise) Stress Weather conditions, such as cold air or extremely dry, wet or windy weather

Reflection: I thought this interesting because it displays the fact the people suffering with asthma have to remain very cautious. Many common triggers can also play a role in determining patients asthma action plan.

5)Are there different types of asthma?

Bronchial asthma

Childhood asthma

Adult-onset asthma

Occupational asthma

Allergic asthma

Non-allergic asthma

Mild asthma

Moderate asthma

Severe asthma

Intermittent asthma

Persistent asthma

Silent asthma

Fragile asthma

Coughing asthma

Viral-induced asthma

Reflection: I thought this was interesting because different types of asthma can lead to developing a unique asthma action plan.

6)Should patients stop ustilizining their medication after not experience any symptoms of asthma for a period of time?

Never stop taking your medication unless your doctor tells you to. If you stop taking your medication against your doctor’s advice, you may make your asthma worse.

Reflection: I think it was very important to cover this topic because refraining from taking medication can cause a change in an asthma action plan by requiring the patient to take additional steps then they did before.

7) How do you read the asthma action plan?

Many action plans use a color-coded system to help parents understand how to care for their child's asthma. The "zone system," which is commonly used, is based on the red, yellow, and green colors of a traffic light. Action plans use symptoms, peak flow readings, or both to help you see what "zone" your child is in:

The green zone, or safety zone, explains how to manage asthma when your child is feeling good.

The yellow zone, or caution zone, explains how to look for signs that asthma is getting worse. It also explains which medicines to add to bring your child's asthma back under control.

The red zone, or danger zone, explains what to do when a flare-up is severe.

Reflection: I think it's important to understand the method of an asthma action plan to have a basic understanding before diving too deep into my research.

8)How often should asthma action plans be updated?

Plans should be reviewed when patients are reassessed by the patients doctor, and approximately every 12 months. If there are no changes in diagnosis or management the medical information on the Asthma Action Plan may not need to be updated.

Reflection: It is critical to keep track of every factor in an action plan because it is only for the benefit of the patient. A change in an action can be due to the improvement of a patient and or the degradation in symptoms of a patient.

9)How effective is a nebuliser?

A nebulizer changes medication from a liquid to a mist so that it can be more easily inhaled into the lungs. Nebulizers are particularly effective in delivering asthma medications to infants and small children and to anyone who has difficulty using an asthma inhaler.

Reflection: They are many factors affecting the asthma action plan including medication. It is very imperative to understand the effectiveness of them. A nebulizer is common factor in an asthma action plan so it is important understand how it functions and the importance of it.

10)Has a patient’s condition worsened even though they are following the correct protocol?

No, not unless they are following the correct protocol

Reflection: I asked this question because in medicine sometimes odd results come about and there are no answers to it, so I felt I had to ask my mentor if she had witnessed such ambiguous cases, but she had not.

11)How do you know if you patient's asthma is getting worse

Wheezing or coughing in the morning

Wheezing after exercise

Feeling you can’t keep up with your normal level of activity

Waking at night due to asthma symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing

Needing to take reliever medication more often than normal (or more than twice a week)

Symptoms aren’t improving when you take your reliever medication

Reflection:It is important to cover the basis of the factors affecting the asthma action plan which can be the deterioration of asthma symptoms which lead to the increase of medication and treatments and doctor visits.