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Asthma

COPD

Heart Failure

What is

This?

A condition in which a person’s airways becomes inflamed, narrow and swells, produces extra mucus, which makes it difficult to breathe.

A condition involving constriction of the airways and difficulty or discomfort in breathing.

The heart is not pumping blood efficiently and cannot keep up with the body’s needs.

What are the risk factors/Causes it?

A combination of genetics and exposures to certain elements in the environment put people at risk for developing asthma. Family history, viral respiratory infections, allergies, occupational exposures, smoking, air pollution and obesity.

Exposure to irritants that damage your lungs and airways can cause COPD, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The main cause of COPD is smoking, your environment.

Coronary artery disease, heart attack and high blood pressure are the main causes and risk factors of heart failure.

How do you Diagnose?

The doctor will examine your nose, throat and upper airways.

Use a stethoscope to listen to your breathing, Wheezing- high pitched whistling sounds when you breathe out- is one of the main signs of asthma.

The most common method for diagnosing COPD is spirometry. This test is painless, it measures lung function and capacity. To perform this test, you will exhale as forcefully as possible into a tube connected to the spirometer, a small machine.

The doctor will perform a blood test to determine if there is anything wrong with your blood that might indicate heart failure, an ECG, this records the electrical activity of your heart to check for problems, an echocardiogram- a type of ultrasound scan where sound waves are used to examine your heart.

What are the signs and symptoms?

Recurrent wheezing

Coughing

Trouble breathing

Chest tightness

Symptoms that occur or worsen at night

Chronic cough

Fatigue

Frequent respiratory infections

Wheezing

Producing a lot of mucus

Shortness of breath while doing everyday activities

Rapid or irregular heartbeat

Reduced ability to exercise

Swelling in the legs, ankles and feet

Swelling of the abdomen

How do you treat?

Nursing Considerations

Peak Flow Meter Zones

Right Sided Heart Failure

Left Sided Heart Failure

Classification Scale

Classification Scale