- Wheezing Wynona
Wynona, a 62 year-old female, comes to the clinic complaining offatigue and persistent shortness of breath, which becomes worseduring exercise. She has a history of respiratory infections andhas a chronic cough that is worse in the morning. She worked for 20years in an automobile manufacturing plant and was laid off 5 yearsago. Wynona has smoked cigarettes since he was a teenager andcurrently estimates smoking one pack of cigarettes a day.
- [1 point] What would you expect Wynona’s Arterial Blood Gas(ABG) test results to reveal (i.e. serum pH, PCO2,PO2 and serum HCO3-)?
- In the case of an exacerbation of her condition would providingWynona with pure oxygen be recommended? Explain how such a pureoxygen treatment would affect her ABG values.
- Certain long-acting Beta-adrenergic agonists used to treat COPDtrigger bronchodilation by i) inhibiting myosin kinase and ii)blocking membrane Ca2+ channels in bronchiolar smoothmuscle cells. Explain how each of these actions will promoterelaxation in smooth muscle cells.
