Facts on Asthma page 2
From information provided by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institues, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, and National Institutes of Health. NIH Publication # 90-2339 October 1990.
Who gets asthma?
Asthma has been diagnosed in nearly 10 million Americans; of these, 3 million are children under age 18. About the same number of men and women have asthma. Slightly, a higher percent of blacks have asthma than whites--4.4 percent of American blacks have asthma, while 4.0 American whites have the disease.
The reported number of cases of asthma is increasing. Between 1979 and 1987, the percent of Americans with asthma increased by about one-third, from 3 percent to 4 percent of the population. This increase is occurring in all age, race, and groups.
The number of reported deaths from asthma has increased from about 2,600 in 1979 to about 4,600 in 1988. The racial disparity in asthma deaths is significant and continues to increase: in 1979, blacks were about twice as likely as whites to die from asthma, but by 1987 the asthma death rate was almost three times as great among black as among whites. However, the death rate for asthma in the U.S. is still one of the lowest in the world, and is very small compared with the number of deaths from major killers such as heart disease, cancer, and stroke.
How is Asthma diagnosed?
Asthma is sometimes hard to diagnose because it can resemble other respiratory problems such as emphysema, bronchitis, and lower respiratory infections. For that reason, it is underdiagnosed--many people with the disease do not know they have it--and therefore undertreated. Sometimes the only symptom is a chronic cough, especially at night. Or, coughing or wheezing may occur only with exercise. Some people think they have recurrent bronchitis, since respiratory infections usually settle in the chest in a person predisposed to asthma.
To diagnose asthma and distinguish it from other lung disorders, physicians rely on a combination of a medical history, a thorough physical examination, and certain laboratory tests. These tests include spirometry (another measure of lung function), chest X-rays, and sometimes blood and allergy tests.
Is there any warning of an asthma episode?
Usually, certain signs occur hours or days before audible wheezing or before an episode is fully in progress. These early signs vary a great deal among individuals. Some people have an itchy chin or throat or a dry mouth. Others may feel very tired or grouchy. Common warning signs include light wheezing or coughing, pain or a tight feeling in the chest, shortness of breath, or restlessness.
Becoming aware of these signals helps patients use self-management techniques as soon as possible. This early action may ward off a severe episode.
What happens during an episode?
An asthma episode feels somewhat like taking deep breaths of very cold air on a winter day. Breathing becomes harder and may hurt, and there may be coughing. The air may make a wheezing or whistling sound.
These problems occur because the airways of the lungs are getting narrower. The muscles that surround the airways tighten, the inner lining of the airways swells and pushes inward, and the membranes that line the airways secrete extra mucus, which can form plugs that block the air passages. The rush of air through the narrowed airways produce the wheezing sounds that are typical of asthma.
Asthma episodes range in severity from slight wheezing, coughing, or problems with breathing, to moderate episodes that can be handled at home, to severe episodes that require emergency treatment from a physician. Some episodes are life threatening and require immediate medical attention.
What can people with asthma do to avoid or lessen episodes?
The key to asthma management is monitoring one's condition, preventing episodes, and controlling an episode once it starts.
To prevent episodes, people with asthma should avoid asthma triggers and should take preventative medication appropriately. If they are to be exposed to a know trigger, such as animals or exercise, they can take medicine beforehand to avoid an attack.
To monitor lung function, asthma patients can use a peak flow meter. This is a small inexpensive device for measuring breathing that can be used at home, at work, or at school. Because lung function decreases even before symptoms of an attack begin, the meter works as an early warning sign of an attack. Like a thermometer or a blood pressure cuff, when used properly it cqan be an objective measure of illness. Using a peak flow meter gives the patient information to share with the physician, so both can make decisions about the treatment plan.
At the first sign of an oncoming episode, a person with asthma should stop and rest, and take asthma medicines as prescribed. It is important to do these things as soon as one is aware of the early warning signs. This way, a serious episode often can be prevented. Different types of medicines are used for asthma episodes, so it is important to understand how to use whatever medicines are prescribed and how long they take to work.
Beginning Facts about Asthma
Facts about Asthma page 2
Facts about Asthma page 3
Facts about Asthma page 4
Nocturnal Asthma
Managing your child's Asthma
Peak flow meters
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