What are the causes of the spread of asthma?

 

 

 

On the occasion of this week's Asthma Awareness Day, we give you all the information about asthma and its treatment, how it develops, what you should pay attention and how to prevent it.

Asthma is defined as a reverse obstructive disease (with severe attacks) in the airways. Three major processes that cause an asthma attack, muscle spasms that are part of the bronchial components, increased secretions and inflammatory edema of the airways can be distinguished. These three processes most likely stem mainly from the overreaction of the immune system (see below), and together they cause airway constriction, which can lead to major difficulty breathing, damage to ventilation, and ultimately also damage oxidation processes and cause death.

Operations that cause asthma now take a large part of more advanced medical research, but so far no full explanation has been found for this phenomenon. However it is known that different components of the immune system (including mast cells, T- lymphocytes, neutrophils and other cells) respond overly inflammatory to a variety of normal stimuli, such as low temperature, viruses, smoke ( Cigarettes and fire), substances that are emitted from animal fur or plant flowers, materials from various insects (such as cockroaches) in addition to a wide range of very rare factors.

These cells secrete a wide range of different chemicals (which are called chemokines and cytokines) and form inflammation, leading to the above processes.

Asthma is the most common chronic disease in childhood, and although in most cases it is discovered before the age of 20, asthma can occur at any age. It is not known what causes the development of this disease (due to the presence of large differences between the various symptoms, it is most likely caused by a group of diseases), but it is known to be a mixture of genetic and environmental factors.

For example, different viruses can exacerbate the disease, so patients are advised to receive a seasonal flu vaccine, as well as vaccines for other respiratory pollutants (such as Streptococcus pneumoniae).

Exposure to known environmental pollutants should be reduced as much as possible, including abstaining from smoking and air pollution should be reduced as much as possible. It is important to know that in many cases even very small amounts of the substances present in cigarette smoke, for example when a parent smokes outside the home but does not change his clothes and carry the child on his hands, this can contribute to an asthma attack.

Patients should pay attention and record exposure to different stimuli (do seizures appear in a certain season of the year, in certain geographical areas, when exposed to certain substances, etc.), and an allergy test is recommended to detect common allergens (dermatological examination by a dermatologist) in an attempt To identify and avoid specific factors for each patient and patient. A subtype of asthma called occupational asthma that occurs due to exposure to pollutants in the workplace, and is defined as obstruction in the airway only in the workplace. A variety of other conditions, such as stress, very cold air and violent physical activity, may also contribute to an acute episode.

While the symptoms of an acute asthma attack are usually difficulty breathing, very rapid breathing, leaning forward and difficulty speaking, it is important to remember that asthma can be expressed in a variety of other forms. In all ages there is a subtype of asthma that is only expressed by coughing, and every chronic cough (for more than three months) requires an asthma test. In infants and young children the symptoms are more diverse, and the primary diagnosis is often bronchiolitis.

 

 

Asthma and its treatment:

 

In recent years, there has been significant progress in understanding asthma and its evidence-based treatment (EBM). Treatment is divided into acute seizure treatment and chronic treatment.

Chronic treatment - is progressively built, with the primary goal being to reduce the level of disease activity (which is determined by various criteria, especially the frequency and severity of seizures). If control is not achieved as required, another step can be taken (adding the drug), and if there has been good control of the situation for more than three months, it is possible to think (but only in consultation with the doctor) to return to the first stage. The main drugs used to balance chronic asthma are inhaled steroids (Budesonide), short-term bronchodilators (Ventolin and Ipratropium Bromide) and long-term, leukotrienes, methylxine and methylantine The most severe oral steroids (Prednisone - Prednisone).

Acute treatment - in seizures, the seizure is defined according to the specific symptoms of each patient, which usually involves significant shortness of breath, rapid breathing, air retention, inability to speak, and a decrease in physiological values ​​(there is a recommended device for monitoring these values ​​and it is called a measuring device Breathing force - peak flow meter). A seizure that does not immediately respond to the usual dose of bronchodilator requires access to the emergency room / urgent consultation of a doctor. It is very important to understand that the inflammatory reaction that causes asthma is divided into two parts: a rapid reaction (up to two hours) and a late reaction (it can be expressed later after 8-24 hours). For this reason, even if there is an improvement in the respiratory status, qualified medical advice should be sought as soon as possible, because in most cases it is necessary to receive acute asthma treatment as well as change the chronic treatment.