Salbutamol Asthma — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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EasyPharmacologySalbutamol AsthmaMFDS Part 1

A patient with known asthma develops acute breathlessness and expiratory wheeze during dental treatment, without urticaria, angioedema or hypotension. Which emergency medicine is indicated to relieve the bronchospasm?

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Correct answer: E — Salbutamol inhaler

A salbutamol inhaler is correct. Acute breathlessness with expiratory wheeze in a patient with known asthma, without features of anaphylaxis, indicates an acute asthma episode. Salbutamol is a short-acting beta-2 agonist that relaxes bronchial smooth muscle. SDCEP advises two puffs of a 100-microgram-per-puff inhaler initially, preferably using a spacer, with repeat doses if required. If the response is unsatisfactory or the attack is severe or life-threatening, call 999; give oxygen at 15 litres/min while awaiting the ambulance and administer further individual puffs via the spacer according to response, up to 10 puffs. Intramuscular adrenaline treats anaphylaxis; GTN and aspirin are used in cardiac emergencies, while glucagon treats hypoglycaemia when oral glucose cannot be given.

Reference: Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme, Practice Support Manual: Medical Emergencies in the Dental Practice, asthma section, May 2020. https://www.psm.sdcep.org.uk/media/3hlkptix/medical_emergencies_in_the_dental_practice.pdf