Question

Smokey has COPD, and his breathing has become progressively more difficult. His physician has prescribed sympathomimetic bronchodilators for his condition. Smokey wants to know how these will help his condition when he is administering the mediations by breathing them through the mouth rather than taking a tablet.

1. How would you explain the actions, safety, and prolonged use of the medicines to Smokey?

2. He also tells you that the prescribed low dose of oxygen does not seem to help him at all, and he wants to increase the flow to 6 L/min, rather than the prescribed 2 L/min as ordered. How would you explain the dangers of this change?

3. What questions should the allied health professional ask about bronchial secretions and the ability to expel these secretions?

Answer 1

1.The sympathomimetic drugs are one which has an action of relaxing the constricted muscle and dilating it.It acts similarly to sympathetic nervous system in stimulating the muscles.Safety measures has to be taken in case of any adverse events or no relief fromnthe symptoms. Prolonged use of this muscle can lead stimulation of the cells in the other organs of system and causing increased heart rate,uneven heart rhythm, coughing ,headache, insomnia.

2.COPD is a condition in which the life saving oxygen for others will be a danger for them if taken more than 2L/min.The reason is the inability of the lungs to expel the excess carbondioxide generated in the organ as a result of inspiration of oxygen.This increased CO2 level causing hypoxia in the lungs and hypoxemia in the blood ,acid base disturbances and finally end of life.The lungs will not be able to accept O2 morevthsn 2L/min.Increasing beyond this level can endanger the patients life.

3.The following things has to be asked about bronchial secretions and the ability to expel it are

• The presence of any blood inched secretions
• The color of the secretion to assess any infections
• Presence of increase in mucous secretion can lead to emphysema
• Is the patient able to spit it out on cough?
• Raise question on how the patient feels in the effort to remove the secretions.