BCEN CEN Practice Question

For a patient experiencing an acute asthma exacerbation, the priority is to rapidly reverse bronchoconstriction. Short-acting beta-agonists (SABAs) like albuterol are the first-line treatment as they are potent bronchodilators that relax airway smooth muscle, providing quick symptom relief. While systemic corticosteroids (like methylprednisolone) are crucial for managing the underlying inflammation and are given early, their onset of action is slower, making them a secondary priority to the immediate administration of a SABA. Ipratropium is an anticholinergic bronchodilator often used as an adjunctive therapy with a SABA in moderate to severe exacerbations, but it is not the primary single agent. IV magnesium sulfate is typically reserved for severe, refractory exacerbations that do not respond to initial SABA and corticosteroid therapy.