PHARMACY
DEPARTMENT
Bulletin Pharmacy
HOSPITAL SEGAMAT
HS
T R E A T M E N T O F A S T H M A A N D C O P D M A C 2 0 1 3
FARMASI
EDITORIAL
ASTHMA AND COPD
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disor-
der of the airways. Chronically inflamed
BOARD
airways are hyperresponsive; they be-
Advisor: come obstructed and airflow is limited (by
bronchoconstriction, mucus plugs, and
Pn Siti Asmah increased inflammation) when airways
Basimin are exposed to various risk factors.
Asthma is a common condition that gives
Editor:
rise to considerable morbidity and mortality.
Its prevalence is increasing and a local study
Tan Lay Chai
found 13.8% of primary school children in
Co-editor: Kuala Lumpur to be asthmatic. It is under-
diagnosed and often not managed optimally.
Multazimah Bt In an ongoing surveillance of paediatric asth-
Mahdzub ma deaths, 9 deaths have been reported in
the past two years; and all of them have
Mira Marina bt been due to inadequate assessment of the
Mahfodz severity of the attack and hence under-
treatment. There is an over reliance on
symptomatic and oral therapy and an under-
INSIDE
use of anti-inflammatory therapy leading to
THIS ISSUE: inadequate control and, in some cases,
death. It is also recognised that disparities in
Asthma and 1-7 management exist due to lack of access to
COPD
appropriate information, drugs and re-
sources.
Adverse Drug 7
Reaction Chronic obstructive pulmonary
MADRAC
disease (COPD) is a syndrome
8-10
updates characterized and defined by a
Program
single physiological parameter:
11
Pemulangan limitation of expiratory airflow.
Ubat
Although COPD and asthma have
WHO drug info 12-
similar characteristics such as the
2012 13
signs of coughing and wheezing, they
Announcement 14 are two distinct conditions in terms
of disease onset, frequency of symp-
toms and reversibility of airway ob-
struction.
, PAGE 2
Definition
Asthma
and reducing the flow of approach. If the patient re-
Asthma attacks all age air in and out of the sponds to treatment, then
groups but often starts in lungs. this is considered to be a
childhood. It is a disease confirmation of the diagnosis
characterized by recur- Diagnosis of asthma. The response
rent attacks of breath-
measured is the reversibility
lessness and wheezing, There is currently not a
which vary in severity of airway obstruction after
precise physiologic, im-
and frequency from per- treatment. Airflow in the air-
munologic, or histologic
son to person. In an indi- ways is measured with a
test for diagnosing asth-
vidual, they may occur peak flow meter or spirome-
from hour to hour and ma. The diagnosis is
ter, and the following diag-
day to day. usually made based on
nostic criteria are used by
This condition is due to the pattern of symptoms
the British Thoracic Society
inflammation of the air (airways obstruction and
passages in the lungs hyperresponsiveness)
and affects the sensitivity and/or response to thera-
of the nerve endings in py (partial or complete
the airways so they be- reversibility) over time.
come easily irritated. In The British Thoracic So-
an attack, the lining of ciety determines a diag-
the passages swell caus- nosis of asthma using a
ing the airways to narrow ‘response to therapy’
“As well as
pharmacologic
Clinical sign and symptoms
People with asthma experience symptoms when
therapy, the airways tighten, inflame, or fill with mucus.
Common asthma symptoms include coughing, es-
nonpharmacology pecially at night, wheezing, shortness of breath,
chest tightness, pain, or pressure. Still, not every
therapy can be person with asthma has the same symptoms in the
same way
managed with
Nonpharmacologic therapy
lifestyle changes”
Avoidance of known aller-
genic triggers can improve
symptoms, and reduce
Caption medications use. Environ-
describing mental triggers (e.g., ani-
picture or mals) should be avoided in
sensitive patients, and
graphic.
those who smoke should
be encouraged to stop.
Patients with acute severe
asthma should receive
supplemental oxygen ther-
apy to maintain arterial
oxygen saturation above
90% (above 95% in preg-
nant women and patients
in heart disease). .
BULLETIN PHARMACY
DEPARTMENT
Bulletin Pharmacy
HOSPITAL SEGAMAT
HS
T R E A T M E N T O F A S T H M A A N D C O P D M A C 2 0 1 3
FARMASI
EDITORIAL
ASTHMA AND COPD
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disor-
der of the airways. Chronically inflamed
BOARD
airways are hyperresponsive; they be-
Advisor: come obstructed and airflow is limited (by
bronchoconstriction, mucus plugs, and
Pn Siti Asmah increased inflammation) when airways
Basimin are exposed to various risk factors.
Asthma is a common condition that gives
Editor:
rise to considerable morbidity and mortality.
Its prevalence is increasing and a local study
Tan Lay Chai
found 13.8% of primary school children in
Co-editor: Kuala Lumpur to be asthmatic. It is under-
diagnosed and often not managed optimally.
Multazimah Bt In an ongoing surveillance of paediatric asth-
Mahdzub ma deaths, 9 deaths have been reported in
the past two years; and all of them have
Mira Marina bt been due to inadequate assessment of the
Mahfodz severity of the attack and hence under-
treatment. There is an over reliance on
symptomatic and oral therapy and an under-
INSIDE
use of anti-inflammatory therapy leading to
THIS ISSUE: inadequate control and, in some cases,
death. It is also recognised that disparities in
Asthma and 1-7 management exist due to lack of access to
COPD
appropriate information, drugs and re-
sources.
Adverse Drug 7
Reaction Chronic obstructive pulmonary
MADRAC
disease (COPD) is a syndrome
8-10
updates characterized and defined by a
Program
single physiological parameter:
11
Pemulangan limitation of expiratory airflow.
Ubat
Although COPD and asthma have
WHO drug info 12-
similar characteristics such as the
2012 13
signs of coughing and wheezing, they
Announcement 14 are two distinct conditions in terms
of disease onset, frequency of symp-
toms and reversibility of airway ob-
struction.
, PAGE 2
Definition
Asthma
and reducing the flow of approach. If the patient re-
Asthma attacks all age air in and out of the sponds to treatment, then
groups but often starts in lungs. this is considered to be a
childhood. It is a disease confirmation of the diagnosis
characterized by recur- Diagnosis of asthma. The response
rent attacks of breath-
measured is the reversibility
lessness and wheezing, There is currently not a
which vary in severity of airway obstruction after
precise physiologic, im-
and frequency from per- treatment. Airflow in the air-
munologic, or histologic
son to person. In an indi- ways is measured with a
test for diagnosing asth-
vidual, they may occur peak flow meter or spirome-
from hour to hour and ma. The diagnosis is
ter, and the following diag-
day to day. usually made based on
nostic criteria are used by
This condition is due to the pattern of symptoms
the British Thoracic Society
inflammation of the air (airways obstruction and
passages in the lungs hyperresponsiveness)
and affects the sensitivity and/or response to thera-
of the nerve endings in py (partial or complete
the airways so they be- reversibility) over time.
come easily irritated. In The British Thoracic So-
an attack, the lining of ciety determines a diag-
the passages swell caus- nosis of asthma using a
ing the airways to narrow ‘response to therapy’
“As well as
pharmacologic
Clinical sign and symptoms
People with asthma experience symptoms when
therapy, the airways tighten, inflame, or fill with mucus.
Common asthma symptoms include coughing, es-
nonpharmacology pecially at night, wheezing, shortness of breath,
chest tightness, pain, or pressure. Still, not every
therapy can be person with asthma has the same symptoms in the
same way
managed with
Nonpharmacologic therapy
lifestyle changes”
Avoidance of known aller-
genic triggers can improve
symptoms, and reduce
Caption medications use. Environ-
describing mental triggers (e.g., ani-
picture or mals) should be avoided in
sensitive patients, and
graphic.
those who smoke should
be encouraged to stop.
Patients with acute severe
asthma should receive
supplemental oxygen ther-
apy to maintain arterial
oxygen saturation above
90% (above 95% in preg-
nant women and patients
in heart disease). .
BULLETIN PHARMACY
