Cases 1 to 4 Pharmacological Case Studies

Pharmacological Case Studies

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SCENARIO 1

In this scenario, Donald is experiencing shortness of breath, wheezing, a chronic productive cough and fatigue. This problem is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This is especially given that he smokes cigarettes every day. To establish the extent of Donald’s pulmonary action, according to clinical practice guidelines, there is need to conduct various tests including spirometry, lung volume test, lung diffusion test, pulse oximetry, and exercise stress test. A chest X ray and a CT scan would also be crucial to establish whether there is a possibility for lung cancer (Iheanacho, Zhang, King, Rizzo, & Ismaila, 2020).

Pharmacological intervention for Donald’s case would first be bronchodilators including Long Acting beta-agonists (LABAS), Long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAS) and short acting bronchodilators. The purpose of the recommended bronchodilators is to relax the muscles around the airways and allow the patient to breath easily. I will also request for inhaled corticosteroids and oxygen therapy.

For the SABAS, I would prescribe albuterol (2-4) puffs every 5 hours. For the LABAS, I would prescribe salmeterol (2 puffs) twice a day, one in the morning and the other one in the evening. For LAMAS, I would prescribe titropium and umeclidinium, one inhalation a day of each. The patient will be required to get their refill before the current drugs run low. This will be after three weeks.

I would further recommend regular follow up of Donald to monitor his symptoms, his lung functions and overall wellbeing. I would also recommend that he reduces or stops his smoking behavior to prevent any drawbacks. I would prescribe biweekly clinic visits to review his medication and assess their effectiveness. I would request any family or relatives to monitor for side effects. If symptoms persist despite the medication, I would discontinue the treatment plan and consider other alternative medication.