Asthma is a chronic disease that affects your airways. Your airways are tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the inside walls of your airways become sore and swollen. That makes them very sensitive, and they may react strongly to things that you are allergic to or find irritating. When your airways react, they get narrower and your lungs get less air. This can cause wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and trouble breathing, especially early in the morning or at night.
When your asthma symptoms become worse than usual, it's called an asthma attack. In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close so much that your vital organs do not get enough oxygen. People can die from severe asthma attacks.
Asthma is treated with two kinds of medicines: quick-relief medicines to stop asthma symptoms and long-term control medicines to prevent symptoms.
NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Assessment of nursing in asthma patients, as follows:
Past medical history:
- Assess personal or family history of previous lung disease.
- Assess history of allergic reaction or sensitivity to the substances / environmental factors.
- Assess patient's employment history.
- The inability to perform activities because of difficulty breathing.
- The decline in the ability / improvement needs help doing daily activities.
- Sleep in a sitting position higher.
- Dipsnea at rest or in response to activity or exercise.
- Breath worsened when the patient lay supine in bed.
- Using the breathing aids drug, for example: raising the shoulders, widen the nose.
- The existence of wheezing breath sounds.
- The recurrent coughing.
- There is an increasing blood pressure.
- There is an increasing frequency of heart.
- The color of skin or mucous membranes normal / gray / cyanosis.
- Flushing or sweating.
- Anxiety
- Fear
- Sensitive stimulation
- Fidget
Nutrient intake:
- Inability to eat due to respiratory distress.
- Weight loss due to anorexia.
Social relations:
- The limited physical mobility.
- Hard talk
- The existence of dependence on others.
- Decrease in libido
Nursing Diagnosis, Nursing Interventions, Nursing Care Plan for Asthma
Impaired Gas Exchange
Related to :
- Altered oxygen supply,
- obstruction of airways by secretions,
- bronchospasm
- Monitor vital signs
- Monitor and graph serial ABGs and pulse oximetry.
- Administer medications as indicated
- monitor skin and mucous membrane color.
Ineffective Airway Clearance
Related to :
- Bronchospasm,
- Increased production of secretions,
- Retained secretions, thick, viscous secretions
- Assist client to maintain a comfortable position.
- Evaluate respiratory rate/depth and breath sounds.
- Encourage/instruct in deep-breathing and directed coughing exercises.
- Keep environmental free from sources of allergen such as dust, smoke, and feather pillows to a minimum according to individual situation.
