Asthma Patient Management
Management of Adequate and Inadequate Respiration
A. Respiratory Compromise
1. Assure an adequate airway
2. Review supplemental oxygen therapy
3. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)/Bi-Level Positive Airway
Pressure (BiPAP)
a. Definitions/Purpose
i. CPAP – device to provide continuous positive airway
pressure in the spontaneously breathing patient
ii. BiPAP – device to provide differential positive airway
pressure in the spontaneously breathing patient.
a) higher positive pressure during inspiration (e.g., 10
cm water pressure)
b) lower positive pressure during expiration (e.g., 5 cm
water pressure)
c) Augments patient’s spontaneous breathing with
positive pressure ventilation during inspiration
iii. increase lung compliance
iv. reduce alveolar collapse
v. increase laminar airflow
vi. decrease intubation rates
b. Indications
i. CHF/Acute pulmonary edema
ii. COPD/Asthma
iii. near drowning
iv. similar equipment may be used for home treatment of sleep
apnea
c. Contraindications
i. inability to tolerate the mask
d. Complications
i. requires adequate tidal volume
ii. patient must be alert and follow instructions
iii. patient must tolerate mask
iv. gastric insufflation
v. vomiting and aspiration risk
vi. barotrauma
vii. facial hair
viii. dysmorphic faces
e. Procedure
4. Assisted positive pressure ventilations
a. Purpose/definition
b. Indications
c. Contraindications
d. Complications
Lower airway disease
a. Asthma
b. Bronchiolitis -- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is common
cause
i. Highly contagious
ii. Most common in infants under one year
iii. Infections usually occur epidemically in the winter
Review of all medications used to treat asthma:
- Albuterol
- Duo-Neb
- Corticosteroids
- Epinephrine
Content Creator: Josh Renolds
CAPCE Course Number: 20-EMTP-F3-3206
Total CE Hours: 1
Level: Advanced
EMT-CE uses the NEMSES guidelines as the foundation for every course outline.
