Asthma Quiz Answers and Rationale

Hi everyone,

Here are the answers and rationale for the asthma classification questions.

  1. A 40-year-old patient reports experiencing asthma symptoms daily, with nighttime awakenings more than once a week, and some limitation in daily activities. How should the nurse practitioner categorize this patient’s asthma?

    1. Intermittent
    2. Mild persistent
    3. Moderate persistent
    4. Severe persistent

    Rationale: Moderate persistent asthma involves daily symptoms and nighttime awakenings more than once a week, with some limitation in normal activities. Lung function tests show FEV1 between 60% and 80% of predicted.

  2. A 25-year-old patient reports experiencing asthma symptoms about twice a week with nighttime awakenings once or twice per month but no impact on regular activities. How should the nurse practitioner categorize this patient’s asthma?

    1. Intermittent
    2. Mild persistent
    3. Moderate persistent
    4. Severe persistent

    Rationale: Intermittent asthma is characterized by symptoms occurring two days or fewer per week, with nighttime awakenings fewer than two times per month. There is no interference with normal activities, and lung function tests typically show normal FEV1 between exacerbations.

  3. A 35-year-old patient presents with daily asthma symptoms throughout the day, frequent nighttime awakenings, and severely limited physical activity. How should the nurse practitioner categorize this patient’s asthma?

    1. Intermittent
    2. Mild persistent
    3. Moderate persistent
    4. Severe persistent

    Rationale: Severe persistent asthma is marked by symptoms throughout the day, frequent nighttime awakenings (often nightly), and severe limitations in physical activity. FEV1 is less than 60% of predicted.

  4. A 30-year-old patient reports asthma symptoms 3x per week and nighttime awakenings about three times a month, which moderately limit daily activities. How should the nurse practitioner categorize this patient’s asthma?

    1. Intermittent
    2. Mild persistent
    3. Moderate persistent
    4. Severe persistent

    Rationale: Mild persistent asthma is characterized by symptoms more than twice a week but not daily, with nighttime awakenings three to four times per month. There may be minor impact in normal activities, but FEV1 remains greater than 80%.

Thank you,
The Cohen Review Team