NURS103 Chapter Notes - Chapter 0: Physical Therapy, Herbalism, Moxibustion
14 Mar 2017
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Document Summary
Pharmacotherapeutics is a branch of pharmacology, which is defined as the study of the therapeutic uses and effects of drugs . Pharmacotherapy of asthma is directed at the underlying pathophysiologic condition and tailored to the severity of disease. For example, airway inflammation and hyper-responsiveness of asthma are best treated with anti-inflammatory drugs such as inhaled corticosteroids and oral corticosteroids. Bronchospasms are treated with medications that act as bronchodilators such as -agonists. Corticosteroids (also known as glucocortico- steroids, glucocorticoids, steroids) are the most effective drugs that can suppress the characteristic inflammation in asthmatic airways. Within the airways and submucosa, inhaled corticosteroids have effects on structural elements such as epithelium cells, endothelial cells, smooth muscles, mucous glands/cells as well as actions on inflammatory cells including eosinophils, lymphocytes, mast cells, macrophages and dendritic cells. Corticosteroids are small hydrophobic molecules that freely cross the plasma membrane. In the cytoplasm, glucocorticoids bind to their receptor creating a glucocorticoid-receptor complex, which further binds to.
