Everything you need to know about Asthma

Everything you need to know about Asthma Asthma can vary from person to person, and can range from the occasional slight flare up, to a life threatening emergency. Asthma can be an annoying wheezing sound in some people, while others may experience difficulty getting any air into their lungs. As a nurse, you may very well experience a patient having an asthma attack or recovering from one.

Understanding Asthma In the 1940s asthma was at the forefront of medical experts and their research. There were numerous studies being done to determine if in fact, asthma could be cured or reversed. At that time the suggestion to most parents of asthmatic children was to move to dryer climates depending on demographics. Most children and adults were prescribed goats milk as an alternative to cow's milk, as doctors felt milk may contribute to asthma. As the years progressed, so did the treatment for asthma, with improvements, helping patients live longer and without the restrictions they had previously lived with.

Treating Asthma Asthma is treated in several ways. Often a rescue inhaler is prescribed.

This helps to open airways so the patient can get full air capacity. There are now several other inhaled corticoid medications that are generally used once or twice daily, and help with the ongoing care of asthma. As asthma flares up at times, oral steroids may be prescribed for a course of 5-7 days. This often reduces the symptoms of asthma very well; however the side effects of oral steroids can be numerous. Once daily inhalers, combined with rescue inhalers when needed is successful in treating most cases of adult asthma.

Nebulizers are often used for children, and for adults that have difficulty controlling symptoms.

Related: What is Oral Health Care?

Asthma Institute Facts  Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the lung airways that causes coughing, chest tightness, wheezing or shortness of breath.  The number of Americans with asthma grows every year. Currently, 26 million Americans have asthma. Of the 26 million, 18.9 million are adults and 7.1 million are children.  Asthma prevalence is higher in children (9.4 percent) than in adults (7.7 percent), and higher in females.  Patients with asthma reported 14.2 million visits to a doctor’s office and 1.3 million visits to hospital outpatient departments.  Asthma results in 439,000 hospitalizations and 1.8 million emergency

  



  







room visits annually.

Asthma is the most common chronic illness in childhood, accounting for 13.8 million missed school days each year. It also accounts for 14.2 million lost work days for adults.

The estimated economic cost of asthma is $56 billion annually.

Almost 3,600 people die of asthma each year, nearly half of whom are age 65 or older. Recent statistics show that half of people with asthma have at least one asthma attack each year, with children (57 percent) more likely to have an attack than adults (51 percent).

Asthma symptoms can be triggered by exposure to an allergen (such as ragweed, pollen, and animal dander or dust mites), irritants in the air (such as smoke, chemical fumes or strong odors) or extreme weather conditions. Exercise or an illness – particularly a respiratory illness or the flu – can also make you more susceptible.

Asthma is often hereditary.

Weather conditions such as extremely dry, wet or windy weather can worsen an asthma condition.

Effective asthma treatment includes monitoring the disease with a peak flow meter, identifying and avoiding allergen triggers, using drug therapies including bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory agents, and developing an emergency plan for severe attacks.

There are two types of asthma medications: long-term control and quick-relief medications. Long-term control medications are preventive, taken daily to achieve and maintain control of asthma symptoms. Quick-relief medications are used to treat asthma attacks.

They relieve symptoms rapidly and are taken on an as-needed basis.

One of the most effective medications for controlling asthma is inhaled corticosteroids, which are anti-inflammatory medications. Taken early and as directed, these well-tolerated and safe medications can improve asthma control and normalize lung function.

Immunotherapy or allergy shots should be considered if asthma is triggered by exposure to unavoidable allergens, or if symptoms occur three days a week and more than two nights a month. The shots are especially helpful when symptoms occur year-round or are not easily controlled with medication.

Related: Depression in Patients Allergists are the medical specialists with the most expertise in treating asthma. An allergist can find the source of your suffering and stop it. While there is no cure for asthma, treatments can generally be managed with proper case. Some patients may require medications to ease anxiety surrounding asthma attacks, as it can be very stressful to struggle with catching one's breath. Maintaining a clean area, and washing bed linens

regularly can help ease flare ups, and there are some suggestions that vitamin C may help combat symptoms. A respiratory specialist can provide complete information on asthma and the treatment protocol.

Related: Leading Registered Nurse Patricia Gaye Proo, RN to be Published in the Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare as New Member of the International Nurses Association Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter