Difficult Asthma: Consider All of the Possibilities
Asthma is a common respiratory disease that can often be managed successfully. However, there are patients that do not respond to the maximum doses of standard therapy and subsequently have a reduced quality of life. Many factors can contribute to a failure to respond to treatment, and a comprehensi...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2000-01-01
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| Series: | Canadian Respiratory Journal |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2000/797306 |
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| Summary: | Asthma is a common respiratory disease that can often be managed successfully. However, there are patients that do not respond to the maximum doses of standard therapy and subsequently have a reduced quality of life. Many factors can contribute to a failure to respond to treatment, and a comprehensive approach is important when assessing and evaluating these patients. This report describes a patient referred for 'difficult to control asthma' who had multiple emergency department visits and hospitalizations. In addition to a history of wheezing, spirometry showed impaired flow and vital capacity was reduced. Further investigation showed a normal total lung capacity, and a computed tomography scan revealed main bronchus blockage by a tumour, which was confirmed by bronchoscopy. This led to a surgical resection of a mucoepidermoid carcinoma. This case highlights the need to consider all possibilities during the evaluation of patients with difficult asthma. |
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| ISSN: | 1198-2241 |