FRESH AIR
A Newsletter for Breathe PA’s Supporters and Friends
It’s hard to believe that just a few short months ago, coronavirus wasn’t even on our radar, while now it is a word we hear daily. In a short period of time our lives have changed drastically. We want you to know that Breathe Pennsylvania remains committed to helping Western Pennsylvanians breathe better and live healthier. We will continue providing you with high-quality, reputable resources. Our staff continue to work and are available to help.
During this time, it is important that you do everything within your power to keep your lung disease under control. This means taking your medication as prescribed, keeping your equipment clean, and avoiding irritants that
make your breathing worse. If your lung disease becomes harder to control, contact your doctor. Don’t wait to seek medical attention.
The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. Take precautions to avoid getting sick. This includes washing your hands often, avoiding close contact with other people, covering coughs and sneezes, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces regularly, and wearing a cloth mask when out in public.
We recommend that you visit the CDC and PA Department of Health websites for more information on coronavirus. Be informed and take precautions to stay safe.
The 7th annual Breathing in the ‘Burgh COPD Cruise has been postponed. We sail again in June of 2021!
Dealing with Asthma Triggers
By Kristin Nowack, a severe asthma patient
How do you manage your severe asthma and avoid triggers? As a steroid-dependent severe asthmatic, maintaining a social life can be quite exhausting and even depressing at times. When it comes to making plans, one has to weigh the risks versus the benefits. Taking care of your breathing needs to be the number one priority. Why, you ask? With severe asthma every day is challenging; difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing or shortness of breath can come on without warning. Anything that triggers your asthma will make your asthma symptoms worse and can cause you to have a severe or even fatal attack. Let’s take a look at how to avoid triggers and how they can impact the life of a severe asthmatic.
One of the first things you need to do; be able to identify your triggers. You may need to be allergy tested to identify your personal allergies, since not all severe asthmatics are allergic. Avoiding allergies may not sound too difficult; however unknown environments can provoke an asthma attack because of the allergens that are present. Severe asthmatics need to take additional precautions when planning a visit with friends or going to a family function. We need to take into consideration if they have pets, if cockroaches or mold may be present in the area or whether anyone will be smoking cigarettes.
We also have to check with friends and family if any of them are sick or if any of their family members are sick. Being steroid dependent can result in immunosuppression, meaning we are more susceptible to infection. Generally a simple cold will cause the non-asthmatic to feel lousy for a few days. However, a simple cold in a severe asthmatic can be detrimental resulting in an unwanted hospitalization.
I have been in situations where someone shows up to a gathering with cold symptoms. Unfortunately I got sick and ended up in the hospital for several weeks just be-
cause of the “common cold.” It is a priority now that I double check with everyone I will be around about cold symptoms. Friends and family might say “Kristin canceled again” or “Kristin backed out at the last minute” or even worse “Kristin is using her asthma as an excuse.” Believe me when I say, I have never used my severe asthma as an excuse not to go to a gathering. There are times I feel isolated because I cannot go to a friends house or I feel guilty because my breathing is so bad that day I had to cancel.
Imagine not being able to go outside when outdoor allergens are high, temperatures are too hot or too cold, wildfires are burning nearby or it’s simply too windy. These are all triggers that can cause an asthma attack. Avoiding triggers is one of the most helpful ways to prevent worsening of symptoms. Consult with your physician to identify your triggers, get antihistamines, allergy shots, or one of the new biologic medications if your triggers are allergies.
Common Allergens Include
1. Common cold or respiratory infection
2. Physical Exercise
3. Cigarette smoke
4. Pet dander or cockroaches
5. Pollen or mold
6. Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)
7. Anxiety or emotional stress
8. Medications such as beta blockers, ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen
9. Cold air, hot air or high humidity
10. Menstrual cycle in females
11. Additives to food or alcohol such as sulfites
Breathe Pennsylvania Takes Asthma Control to School!
Breathe Pennsylvania has piloted a collaborative program with UPMC St. Margaret’s School Health Partnership to provide asthma resources in the school setting. The program, called Asthma TACTS© (Taking Asthma Control to School), is an innovative approach designed to create an asthma care team of school and community-based professionals, health care providers, parents, and Breathe Pennsylvania’s Certified Asthma Educators.
“1 in 10 Pennsylvania children have asthma. When asthma is well-controlled children are less likely to miss school, and parents are less likely to miss work to address their child’s health needs. By creating a care team of children and families with asthma, the school nurse, the physician, and community health providers, and providing access to asthma management resources in the school setting, we have an opportunity to improve asthma outcomes in western Pennsylvania”, said Jeannie Simms, Senior Director of Asthma Education and Programs.
The program is offered to children diagnosed with persistent asthma who are seen by providers at UPMC’s Lawrenceville Community Health Center, BloomfieldGarfield Community Health Center, or New Kensington Community Health Center. In addition to receiving longterm asthma control medications prescribed by their physician, participants of the program receive one-onone asthma education, an asthma and allergy friendly teddy bear, and cleaning resources for minimizing asthma triggers in the home. Support for Asthma TACTS© comes from The Pittsburgh Foundation, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and from donor contributions to Breathe Pennsylvania.
In-school programming has temporarily been suspended due to coronavirus, however we are committed to providing support and resources to children and families participating in this program.
Cranberry Professional Park
201 Smith Drive, Suite E
Cranberry Twp., PA 16066
Breathe PA staff Doug Kaup and Jeannie Simms provided radon education and tests at the Home and Garden Show.
Have you tested your home for radon?
Testing kits are available for $15, which includes shipping and analysis. Order yours today!
Tuberculosis Grand Rounds
On March 3-4, 2020, Dr. Henry Fraimow of Cooper University Hospital and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University presented “New Challenges in Managing TB Infection and TB Disease in the TB Elimination Era” to 100 Allegheny Health Network and UPMC physicians. This education was provided in collaboration with the Allegheny County Health Department and supported by the Otis H. Childs Charitable Trust.
FRESH AIR | FALL, 2019