Asthma

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways marked by variable symptoms and variable airflow limitation. Bronchoconstriction, airway-wall swelling, and mucus can narrow the bronchi; the obstruction often improves, either spontaneously or after bronchodilator therapy. The pattern matters more than a single noisy breath sound. Symptoms may come and go, worsen at night or with exercise, and flare after infection or exposure to a personal trigger. A patient can feel well between episodes while airway inflammation and future exacerbation risk persist, which is why controller therapy is preventive rather than optional symptom relief. For the RPN, the immediate question during deterioration is not simply, “Is this asthma?” It is, “How well is air moving, how much work is breathing requiring, and is the patient responding to treatment?”