Asthma is condition where the bronchial tubes become inflamed and irritated, making it difficult to breathe. Asthma is a chronic condition, and can be induced by allergies, exercise, and other sources. Asthma can range from mild to severe, and is on the rise in the United States. Asthma needs to be treated, as it can become life threatening if not treated properly. Even treated asthma can become life threatening under the right conditions.
Symptoms of asthma include a tight feeling in the chest, airway constriction, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest pain, sleep that is disturbed by wheezing or an inability to breathe, coughing, an increased need for medications which open the chest, also called bronchodilators, and a fall in peak flow meter readings, which is a device which measures an individual’s ability to exhale with force based on age and weight.
Asthma can be caused by any number of factors, and worsened by a combination of numerous factors. Exposure to irritants like cigarette smoke, allergies, sinusitis, physical exertion, strong emotions, stress, cold air, medication such as beta blockers, respiratory infections, cockroaches, dust mites, gastroesophageal reflux disease, sulfites, animal dander, and mold. Nearly any irritant can trigger asthma reactions, although not all irritants can cause asthma.
Asthma affects approximately 6 million children and about 14 million adults and older adolescents. Prior to puberty, boys are more likely to develop asthma than girls, however, after puberty more girls develop asthma than boys. Risk factors for developing asthma include having at least one parent with asthma, living in urban and highly polluted areas, or areas where the pollen count is perpetually high, exposure to second hand smoke, smoking, low birth weight, obesity, respiratory infections in early childhood, exposure to occupational triggers such as chemicals which are likely to affect the lungs, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Asthma can often mimic other diseases such as emphysema, vocal chord conditions, and the early stages of congestive heart failure. A physical examination is required in order to diagnose asthma. In order to narrow down the possibilities for the reason for the symptoms, a physician is likely to administer a few different tests. One test involves a peak flow meter, which measures the force of exhaled air. A spirometer, measures the narrowing of bronchial tubes during breathing. These tests can help determine whether the symptoms presented are asthmatic of have another source. If there is still difficulty in determining whether or not the symptoms presented are asthma related, a test known as a methocholine bronchial challenge may be administered, which basically forces the patient to inhale known asthma triggers in an attempt to induce an asthma attack.
Asthma can result in missed school or work days, can involve emergency room visits several times per year, and may even lead to a deadly asthma attack. It constricts the patient’s ability to roam outdoors and often prevents them from participating in sports or other physical activities that they normally enjoy. Asthma can inhibit a person’s ability to really live life. Some of the medications used to control asthma have an equal risk of complications as the asthma itself. Severe attacks often require steroids, and the chronic use of steroids have serious side effects.
Asthma is usually treated on two different levels, chronic control and immediate relief. Rescue inhalers are used for sudden attacks while other medications are used to help eliminate the sudden attacks. Inhaled medication helps to open up constricted airways while some oral and inhaled medications work to keep airways open despite triggers. Medications are only effective when used properly, and need to be used daily in order to control and to prevent serious asthma attacks.
The elimination or reduction in known triggers can make a serious difference in the life of an asthmatic. Keeping homes and environments clean and dust and dander free can allow an asthmatic to breathe easier. Asthmatics should be tested for allergies to help eliminate lesser known triggers and to allow for an asthmatic to clean their environment of many triggers. However, people with controllable asthma can still live happily with pets provided that an effort is made to keep the environment very clean.
It may take years to find an appropriate mix of medication to help control asthma, but it can be done. Asthmatics have a chance at living a full and active lifestyle provided they see their physician regularly and keep on top of their medical needs.
Asthma videos
Cough-Variant Asthma (Asthma #6)
{length_seconds}
{description}
http://www.youtube.com/v/iVqs_xbaZYY
|
Treating Asthma (Asthma #2)
{length_seconds}
{description}
http://www.youtube.com/v/aGDi5tI5vTk
|
Understanding Asthma (Asthma #1)
{length_seconds}
{description}
http://www.youtube.com/v/82gn_rDRpHk
|
Asthma Animation
{length_seconds}
{description}
http://www.youtube.com/v/0hx3CL7d2r4
|
Asthma
{length_seconds}
{description}
http://www.youtube.com/v/0Vgju9Ej8zc
|
Bronchial Asthma - Volume II
{length_seconds}
{description}
http://www.youtube.com/v/r0gI1p7gTJc
|
Asthma, Bronchial and Chest film
{length_seconds}
{description}
http://www.youtube.com/v/l53C7gS8ZSI
|
Histopathology Lung--Asthma
{length_seconds}
{description}
http://www.youtube.com/v/BlfN_dwEd9Q
|
self help Asthma Trailer
{length_seconds}
{description}
http://www.youtube.com/v/l808L0NXG1U
|
Find out more by viewing the Human Anatomy page:
Respiratory System
Medication commonly used for these disease:
1 - of <<previous | next>>
|
Singulair is generically prescribed as montelukast and is commonly used to treat allergies and prevent asthma attacks. Singulair is part of the family of medications known as leukotriene inhibitor, which means they affect the leukotreines in the body whic more...
|
|
Brethine is a bronchodilator which is used in the treatment of symptoms associated with lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis. Brethine has been proven effective at treating bronchospasms and the wheezing associated with bronchospasms.
more...
|
|
Atropisol has many uses in the medical community. When Atropisol is prescribed orally it may be used prior to anesthesia to reduce or prevent secretions of the respiratory tract, treatment for parkinsonsism, treatment of peptic ulcers, treatment of bed-w more...
|
|
Betamethasone was originally approved by the FDA in 1961, with a foam-style formulation, called betamethasone valerate, approved in 1999. Betamethasone is a drug in the steroid family of medications, and comes in topical applications. Besides the foam, more...
|
|
Dexamethasone, which also comes under the brand names of Decadron, Decaject, Dexamethasone Intensol, Dexpak and Solurex, is a corticosteroid. It is a synthetic version of hormones which usually occur naturally in the human body; doctors prescribe it to r more...
|
|
Pulmicort is generically prescribed as budesonide inhalation and is commonly used to treat the inflammation that causes asthma attacks. Pulmicort is used to prevent asthma attacks and is not considered a rescue inhaler. Pulmicort can lower the more...
|
|
Atrovent is a brand name for the generic medication ipratropium bromide. It is used to treat difficulty breathing due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which can include chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It is also used to prevent painful more...
|
|
Deltasone is a brand name for the drug predisone, in the steroid classification of drugs. It is used to reduce swelling, but also lowers the immune system. It comes in tablets and is prescribed for several different problems. These can include endocrin more...
|
|
Proventil is the brand name for the generic drug albuterol sulfate. It is prescribed in an aerosol, in a capsule for inhalation, and as an inhalation solution for small children for the prevention and relief of bronchospasm in patients over the age of fou more...
|
|
Serevent is a brand name for salmeterol xinafoate inhalation powder. It is taken twice a day to help prevent asthma from occurring, but it does not replace fast-acting inhalers for the sudden onset of symptoms. It comes in a round plastic administrative more...
|
1 - of <<previous | next>>
|
Home
E-Mail
Site Map
http://www.medical-look.com
FORUM 
Asthma
