0 valutazioniIl 0% ha trovato utile questo documento (0 voti)
44 visualizzazioni4 pagine
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways characterized by recurrent episode of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. An asthma attack is a reaction to a trigger. It is similar in many ways to an allergic reaction. The environment you live in and the way you live partly determine whether you have asthma attacks.
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways characterized by recurrent episode of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. An asthma attack is a reaction to a trigger. It is similar in many ways to an allergic reaction. The environment you live in and the way you live partly determine whether you have asthma attacks.
Copyright:
Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Formati disponibili
Scarica in formato DOCX, PDF, TXT o leggi online su Scribd
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways characterized by recurrent episode of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. An asthma attack is a reaction to a trigger. It is similar in many ways to an allergic reaction. The environment you live in and the way you live partly determine whether you have asthma attacks.
Copyright:
Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Formati disponibili
Scarica in formato DOCX, PDF, TXT o leggi online su Scribd
It is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the breathing in allergy-causing substances
airways characterized by recurrent episode of wheezing, (allergens) such as molds, dust, or animal dander, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. an upper respiratory infection, , Inflammation causes increased responsiveness of the exposure to cold, dry weather, airways to multiple stimuli. The widespread airflow emotional excitement or stress obstruction that occurs during the acute episodes usually physical exertion or exercise, reverses either spontaneously or with treatment. reflux of stomach acid known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, CAUSES sulfites, an additive to some foods and wine, and The exact cause of asthma is not known. Risk factors for developing asthma: What all people with asthma have in common is chronic airway inflammation and excessive hay fever (allergic rhinitis) and other allergies airway sensitivity to various triggers. -- this is the single biggest risk factor; Research has focused on why some people eczema: another type of allergy affecting the develop asthma while others do not. skin; and Some people are born with the tendency to have genetic predisposition: a parent, brother, or asthma, while others are not. Scientists are trying to sister also has asthma. find the genes that cause this tendency. The environment you live in and the way you SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS live partly determine whether you have asthma attacks. When the breathing passages become irritated or infected, an attack is triggered. The attack may come on An asthma attack is a reaction to a trigger. It is suddenly or develop slowly over several days or hours. similar in many ways to an allergic reaction. The main symptoms that signal an attack are as follows:
An allergic reaction is a response by the wheezing,
body's immune system to an "invader." breathlessness, When the cells of the immune system sense an chest tightness, invader, they set off a series of reactions that help coughing, and fight off the invader. difficulty speaking. It is this series of reactions that causes the production of mucus and bronchospasms. These Symptoms may occur during the day or at night. If they responses cause the symptoms of an asthma attack. happen at night, they may disturb your sleep. In asthma, the "invaders" are the triggers listed below. Triggers vary among individuals. Wheezing is the most common symptom of an asthma Because asthma is a type of allergic reaction, it attack. is sometimes called reactive airway disease. Wheezing is a musical, whistling, or hissing Each person with asthma has his or her own unique sound with breathing. set of triggers. Most triggers cause attacks in some Wheezes are most often heard during people with asthma and not in others. Common exhalation, but they can occur during breathing in triggers of asthma attacks are the following: (inhaling). Not all asthmatics wheeze, and not all people exposure to tobacco or wood smoke, who wheeze are asthmatics. breathing polluted air, inhaling other respiratory irritants such as Current guidelines for the care of people with asthma perfumes or cleaning products, include classifying the severity of asthma symptoms, as exposure to airway irritants at the workplace, follows: Asthma Mild intermittent: This includes attacks no Treatment Goals more than twice a week and nighttime attacks no more than twice a month. Attacks last no more than a prevent ongoing and bothersome symptoms; few hours to days. Severity of attacks varies, but prevent asthma attacks; there are no symptoms between attacks. prevent attacks severe enough to require a visit Mild persistent: This includes attacks more to your provider or an emergency department or than twice a week, but not every day, and nighttime hospitalization; symptoms more than twice a month. Attacks are carry on with normal activities; sometimes severe enough to interrupt regular maintain normal or near-normal lung function; activities. and Moderate persistent: This includes daily have as few side effects of medication as attacks and nighttime symptoms more than once a possible. week. More severe attacks occur at least twice a week and may last for days. Attacks require daily use of quick-relief (rescue) medication and changes in daily activities. MEDICATIONS Severe persistent: This includes frequent severe attacks, continual daytime symptoms, and frequent Controller medicines help minimize the inflammation nighttime symptoms. Symptoms require limits on that causes an acute asthma attack. daily activities. Long-acting beta-agonists: This class of drugs DIAGNOSTIC EXAMS is chemically related to adrenaline, ahormone produced by the adrenal glands. Inhaled 1. Pulmonary function test long-acting beta-agonists work to keep breathing 2. ABG’s passages open for 12 hours or longer. They relax the 3. Pulse oximetry muscles of the breathing passages, dilating the 4. Skin testing passages and decreasing the resistance to exhaled airflow, making it easier to breathe. They may also TREATMENT help to reduce inflammation, but they have no effect on the underlying cause of the asthma attack. Side Since asthma is a chronic disease, treatment goes on for effects include rapid heartbeat and a very long time. Some people have to stay on treatment shakiness. Salmeterol(Serevent) for the rest of their lives. The best way to improve your and formoterol (Foradil) are long-acting beta- condition and live your life on your terms is to learn all agonists. you can about your asthma and what you can do to make Inhaled corticosteroids are the main class of it better. medications in this group. The inhaled steroids act locally by concentrating their effects directly within Become a partner with your health-care the breathing passages, with very few side effects provider and his or her support staff. Use the outside of the lungs. Beclomethasone (Vancenase, resources they can offer -- information, education, Beclovent) and triamcinolone(Nasacort, Atolone) are and expertise -- to help yourself. examples of inhaled corticosteroids. Become aware of your asthma triggers and do Leukotriene inhibitors are another group of what you can to avoid them. controller medications. Leukotrienes are powerful Follow the treatment recommendations of your chemical substances that promote the inflammatory health-care provider. Understand your treatment. response seen during an acute asthma attack. By Know what each drug does and how it is used. blocking these chemicals, leukotriene inhibitors See your health-care provider as scheduled. reduce inflammation. The leukotriene inhibitors are Report any changes or worsening of your considered a second line of defense against asthma symptoms promptly. and usually are used for asthma that is not severe Report any side effects you are having with enough to require oral corticosteroids. your medications. Asthma o Zileuton (Zyflo), zafirlukast (Accolate), longer than the beta-agonists. An anticholinergic drug and montelukast (Singulair) are is often used together with a beta-agonist drug to examples of leukotriene inhibitors. produce a greater effect than either drug can achieve Methylxanthines are another group of by itself. Ipratropium bromide (Atrovent) is the controller medications useful in the treatment of inhaled anticholinergic drug currently used as a asthma. This group of medications is chemically rescue asthma medication. related tocaffeine. Methylxanthines work as long- acting bronchodilators. At one time, methylxanthines HOME CARE were commonly used to treat asthma. Today, because of significant caffeine-like side effects, they are being Know your triggers and do what you can to used less frequently in the routine management of avoid them. asthma. Theophylline and aminophylline are If you smoke, quit. examples of methylxanthine medications. Do not take cough medicine. These medicines Cromolyn sodium is another medication that do not help asthma and may cause unwanted side can prevent the release of chemicals that cause effects. asthma-related inflammation. This drug is especially Aspirin and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory useful for people who develop asthma attacks in drugs, such as ibuprofen, can cause asthma to worsen response to certain types of allergic exposures. When in certain individuals. These medications should not taken regularly prior to an exposure, cromolyn be taken without the advice of your health-care sodium can prevent the development of an asthma provider. attack. However, this medicine is of no use once an Do not use nonprescription inhalers. These asthma attack has begun. contain very short-acting drugs that may not last long Omalizumab belongs to a newer class of enough to relieve an asthma attack and may cause agents that works with the body's immune system. In unwanted side effects. people with asthma who have an elevated level of Immunoglobulin E (Ig E), an allergy antibody, this drug given by injection may be helpful with symptoms that are more difficult to control. This Take only the medications your health-care agent inhibits IgE binding to cells that release provider has prescribed for your asthma. Take them chemicals that worsen asthma symptoms. This as directed. binding prevents release of these mediators, thereby Do not take any nonprescription preparations, helping in controlling the disease. herbs, or dietary supplements, even if they are completely "natural," without talking to your health- Rescue medications are taken after an asthma attack care provider first. Some of these may have unwanted has already begun. These do not take the place of side effects or interfere with your medications. controller drugs. Do not stop taking your controller If the medication is not working, do not take drug(s) during an asthma attack. more than you have been directed to take. Overusing asthma medications can be dangerous. Short-acting beta-agonists are the most Be prepared to go on to the next step of your commonly used rescue medications. Inhaled short- action plan if necessary. acting beta-agonists work rapidly, within minutes, to open the breathing passages, and the effects usually If you think your medication is not working, let your last four hours. Albuterol(Proventil, Ventolin) is the health-care provider know right away. most frequently used short-acting beta-agonist medication. PREVENTION Anticholinergics are another class of drugs useful as rescue medications during asthma attacks. You need to know how to prevent or minimize future Inhaled anticholinergic drugs open the breathing asthma attacks. passages, similar to the action of the beta-agonists. Inhaled anticholinergics take slightly longer than beta-agonists to achieve their effect, but they last Asthma If your asthma attacks are triggered by an allergic reaction, avoid your triggers as much as possible. Keep taking your asthma medications after you are discharged. This is extremely important. Although the symptoms of an acute asthma attack go away after appropriate treatment, asthma itself never goes away.