Description
Unformatted Attachment Preview
Purchase answer to see full attachment

Explanation & Answer

View attached explanation and answer. Let me know if you have any questions.
Running Head: BRONCHIOLITIS
1
Bronchiolitis
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date
BRONCHIOLITIS
2
1. Describe the pathophysiology of bronchiolitis and identify the most common
organism causing this infection. What laboratory testing can confirm your
suspicion?
The pathophysiology of bronchiolitis originates when the epithelial cells lining
the small airways within the lungs are acutely infected, leading to edema, increased
production of mucus, and ultimately, the necrosis and degeneration of the epithelial cells
(Nasrawi, 2017). Clinically, it presents as rhinitis, tachypnea, cough, hypoxia, use of
accessory respiratory muscles, and variable wheezing, as well as crackles upon
auscultation.
Bronchiolitis is caused by an acute viral infection. The most common infectious
agent is the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). It can also be caused by adenovirus, human
metapneumovirus, influenza virus, and parainfluenza virus.
Tests to confirm if the child has bronchiolitis include a mucus sample test
(nasopharyngeal swab) to identify the presence of RSV and other viruses, chest x-ray,
urine or blood tests, and a pulse oximeter test to measure the amount of oxygen.
2. Describe the pathophysiology of PDA and why the history of PDA is significant in
this scenario.
The pulmonary artery and the aorta are connected by the ductus arteriosus which
is necessary for the normal functioning of fetal circulation. When the child is born, an
increase in PaO2 and a decrease in prostaglandin concentration result in the closure of the
ductus arteriosus. This happens within the first ten to fifteen hours of life. In the event
this normal process fails to occ...
