38: Reactive Airway Disease

Published on 27/02/2015 by admin

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CHAPTER 38 Reactive Airway Disease

8 What other medications and routes of delivery are used in asthma?

TABLE 38-1 Useful Medications for Patients with Reactive Airway Disease

Medication Dose Comments
Albuterol 2.5 mg in 3 ml of normal saline for nebulization or 2 puffs by MDI May need repeat treatments
Terbutaline 0.3-0.4 mg subcutaneously May repeat as required every 20 minutes for three doses
Epinephrine 0.3 mg subcutaneously May repeat as required every 20 minutes for three doses
Corticosteroids Methylprednisolone, 60-125 mg intravenously every 6 hours, or prednisone, 30-50 mg, orally daily Steroids are usually tapered at the first opportunity
Anticholinergics Ipratropium, 0.5 mg by nebulization or 4-6 puffs by MDI; atropine, 1-2 mg per nebulization Useful with severe RAD and COPD
Theophylline 5 mg/kg intravenously over 30 minutes (loading dose in patients not previously taking theophylline) After the loading dose, start continuous infusion at the appropriate rate according to age and disease state of the patient, being watchful for any drug interactions

COPD, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; .MDI, metered-dose inhaler; RAD, reactive airway disease,

9 What is the best approach to preoperative management of the patient with reactive airway disease?

Patients should be classified according to the urgency of the operation required and their particular history of reactive airways.

11 What agents may be used for maintenance anesthesia?

Sevoflurane, halothane, and isoflurane are effective in blocking airway reflexes and bronchoconstriction; sevoflurane appears to be the most effective. Inhaled anesthetics have been used in the intensive care unit to provide bronchodilation in intubated patients with severe asthma, improving indices of respiratory resistance (inspiratory and expiratory flows), decreasing hyperinflation, and lowering intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP).

Opioids at higher doses block airway reflexes but do not provide direct bronchodilation. Morphine remains controversial because of its histamine-releasing activity. Anesthetics relying primarily on opioids may cause problems with respiratory depression at emergence (particularly in patients with COPD with an asthmatic component).

Neuromuscular blocking agents with a benzylisoquinolinium nucleus such as d-tubocurarine, atracurium, and mivacurium release histamine from mast cells on injection. They also may bind directly to muscarinic receptors on ganglia, nerve endings, and airway smooth muscle. Both mechanisms theoretically may increase airway resistance. Relaxants with an aminosteroid nucleus such as pancuronium and vecuronium continue to be used safely in asthmatic patients. In patients with bronchospasm neuromuscular blocking agents improve chest wall compliance, but smooth muscle airway tone and lung compliance remain the same. Prolonged use of muscle relaxants in ventilated asthmatic patients is associated with increases in creatine kinase and clinically significant myopathy.

12 What are the complications of intubation and mechanical ventilation in asthmatic patients?

The stimulus of intubation causes significant increases in airway resistance. Lung hyperinflation occurs when diminished expiratory flow prevents complete emptying of the alveolar and small airway gas. Significant gas trapping may cause hypotension by increasing intrathoracic pressure and reducing venous return. Pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax are also potential causes of acute respiratory decompensation.

Several measurements of ventilator function may give some insight into a patient’s improving or worsening status. Plateau pressures (the pressure measured at end inspiration and before expiration starts, averaged over a 0.4-second pause) correlate loosely with complications at pressures greater than 30 cm H2O. Auto-PEEP is the measurement of end-expiratory pressure (taken at end expiration while the expiratory port is momentarily occluded) and may correlate with alveolar pressures in the bronchospastic patient. However, auto-PEEP does not specifically correlate with complications. Plateau pressure and auto-PEEP measurements require a relaxed patient.

Patients on prolonged high-dose corticosteroids and muscle relaxation are at risk for a severe myopathy. Pancuronium and vecuronium are the worse offenders, but all muscle relaxants are suspect.

Several strategies for mechanically ventilating bronchospastic patients have been developed:

15 What new therapies are available to anesthesiologists treating asthmatic patients in bronchospasm?