In a patient with asthma undergoing surgery, if bronchospasm occurs, what should be the initial response?

In a situation where a patient with asthma experiences bronchospasm during surgery, the appropriate initial response is to provide bronchodilator therapy. Bronchospasm is primarily characterized by the constriction of the airways, leading to difficulty in breathing. Bronchodilators, such as beta-agonists, work by relaxing the muscles of the airways, which helps to open up the air passages and improve airflow.

Timely administration of bronchodilator therapy can quickly relieve bronchospasm, alleviating the acute symptoms and improving the patient’s oxygenation status. This is a critical intervention to stabilize the patient before considering any other measures.

Other options like administering sedatives or increasing anesthetic doses may not address the underlying problem of airway constriction and could potentially exacerbate respiratory distress. Starting IV antibiotics is not appropriate in an acute bronchospasm scenario as it does not provide immediate relief and is more suited for treating infections rather than acute airway constriction.