Describe the Pathophysiological Mechanisms of Chronic Asthma

Asthma
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Asthma
Introduction
Lang, Erzurum, and Kavu (2010) describe asthma as a chronic, episodic illness that affects the airways that are best addressed as a syndrome. Asthma exacerbation is highly influenced by a lower airway caused by various environmental conditions (Wark & Gibson, 2006). The characteristics of asthma entail episodic symptoms and variations in airflow obstruction that occurs in a spontaneous manner or are instigated as a response to the prevailing environmental condition. Arterial blood gas sampling facilitates a superior investigation that focuses on the patient’s acid-base status. The test is among the first tests that are carried out in a situation where the patient has an exacerbation of asthma because it shows the oxygen and ventilation that are affected by the condition (Padmavathi, Sumangali, & Subash, 2013).
Pathophysiology of acute asthma exacerbation
All asthma patients risk and are vulnerable to the development of acute severe asthma (ASA). The condition is a life-threatening disease that leads to imminent acute severe respiratory failure or even death. Acute asthma is exacerbated by environmental exposure. Scholars suggest that the biggest threat is posed by respiratory viral infections (Lang, Erzurum, & Kavu, 2010). A study carried out by Padmavathi, Sumangali, and Subash, (2013) on a group of people aged between 25 and 79 years showed that the arterial blood gas patterns in acute asthma exhibited a condition of low oxygen concentration in the blood, hypoxemia coupled with respiratory acidosis and hypoxemia with respiratory alkalosis was experienced on individuals without normal patterns.
Pathophysiology of chronic asthma exacerbation
Chronic asthma is an asthma problem that is persistent where clinically substantial chronic airflow obstruction is present despite anti-asthmatic treatment. Patients suffering from these diseases typically experience a variety of occurrences of worsening airflow obstruction that can lead to life-threatening consequences. Exacerbation is exaggerated by viral infections and allergen exposure. While viral infections have a slow onset, the exacerbations triggered by allergen exposure are sudden and have greater severity. For chronic asthma, a research on arterial blood gas found that the hypoxemia with respiratory alkalosis was not evident in some participants, but there was no evidence of respiratory acidosis (Padmavathi, Sumangali, & Subash, 2013).
Factors
Lang, Erzurum, and Kavu (2010) allude that there is an inadequate correlation of acute asthma and arterial blood gases. Additionally, Lang, Erzurum, and Kavu (2010) suggest that mild-to-moderate asthma conditions are associated with respiratory alkalosis and mild hypoxemia due to the mismatching of ventilation-perfusion that can be caused by elements in the environment such as viral infections (Lang, Erzurum, & Kavu, 2010).
Diagnosis
Viral respiratory tract infections can pose a significant impact on the pathophysiology of acute and chronic asthma. During the early stages of life, many kids experience wheezing episodes that are associated with viral infections that affect the respiratory system (Busse, Lemanske, & G...