How do you assess a patient with asthma?

Answer 1

Asthma is never automatically diagnosed after a single visit or what not. It is diagnosed after observing certain symptoms over a period of time. There are multiple diseases that are present in a patient that could have Asthma... such as acute bronchitis, pneumonia, or simple symptoms such as prolonged wheezing. There are many tests that a pulmonologist can gather to help determine if the patient has asthma or not. For example, the doctor observes the patient's response to Bronchodilators/corticosterioids. He or she can order pulmonary function test (PFT) to measure how well the lungs are able to take in and exhale air.

Answer 2

The primary method of determining asthma is pulmonary function testing(PFT). The primary PFT's used is spirometry which measures the flows in relation to the volumes of the lung. The other definative measure is a broncho provocation test, or methylcholene test. Methycholene is a drug that will 100% of the time cause an asthma attack even in healthy adults, but individuals who suffer from asthma are extra sensitive to it. The test is administered by giving a small amount of methylcholene. A dose that is so small that it would not effect a healthy indevidual, but would cause an asthmatic to have an attack. If the individual has a asthma attack they are givin a bronchodialator to counter the attack and diagnosed with astma. Also any person who gains 15% or more in vital capasity from a brochodialator is said to have reacted positivly.

Answer 3

Asthma has to do with the closing of airways. Mostly brought on by alergies. The main way to tell if someone has asthma is when they can breath in, but struggle to breath out. A weezing sound should occur.

Answer 4

Asthma is never automatically diagnosed after a single visit or what not. It is diagnosed after observing certain symptoms over a period of time. There are multiple diseases that are present in a patient that could have asthma... such as acute bronchitis, pneumonia, or simple symptoms such as prolonged wheezing. There are many tests that a pulmonologist can gather to help determine if the patient has asthma or not. For example, the doctor observes the patient's response to Bronchodilators/corticosterioids. He or she can order pulmonary function test (PFT) to measure how well the lungs are able to take in and exhale air.

Answer 5

It provides a set of questions, that if you answer yes to any of the questions, you should share the information with your doctor.

Answer 6

Your family care doctor will diagnose asthma based on your condition, or your doctor will forward you to an specialist to determine how serious your asthma condition.

Answer 7

they use a peak flow meter

Answer 8

Pulmonary Function Test