Respiratory system diseases are widespread among the population.
One of them is acquired asthma. It affects people of different ages, gender and social status. It can be of various forms and severity of the course, but in any case, asthma can harm the life and health of the patient.
How to recognize a disease, why it occurs and what methods of dealing with it exist, we will consider in more detail.
What is acquired asthma
Acquired asthma is a non-infectious chronic inflammation of the airways with gradual development and periods of exacerbations and remissions.
The disease is characterized by hypersensitivity of the bronchi, which, under the influence of certain conditions, leads to spasms of smooth muscles and narrowing of their lumen. As a result, there is a reduction in the volume of air entering the lungs, and there is an accumulation of mucus on the walls of the bronchi, this provokes attacks of suffocation, shortness of breath and coughing.
Congenital asthma occurs in young children and appears from the moment of birth. The disease develops against the background of a violation of the formation of the respiratory system, genetic predisposition or allergies. Even the exposure of a woman to cigarette smoke during pregnancy is a provocateur of asthma in newborns.
Both types of the disease have the same clinical signs and, accordingly, need identical treatment.
Causes of the disease and risk factors
The pathogenesis (mechanism of development and formation) of asthma is not fully understood, but it is believed that the factors causing acquired asthma can be external and internal.
In the first case, the provocateurs of the disease are allergic reactions (increased sensitivity of the immune system to various irritants).
Allergens can be:
- pollen and plant fluff;
- pet hair;
- mold and dust;
- household and construction chemicals;
- medications;
- Food.
The body’s response can be instantaneous or appear some time after exposure.
If a person has a predisposition to allergies, the influence of these substances should be excluded to avoid complications.
Also, the reasons for the development of asthma are:
- hereditary predisposition;
- low ambient temperature;
- dysfunction of the autonomic and central nervous system;
- endocrine system pathology;
- excessive physical activity.
Bronchial asthma, formed under the influence of various irritants, has similar signs and manifestations.
The risk group for the disease includes people:
- associated with chemicals due to professional activities;
- heavy smokers;
- suffered from infectious diseases of the respiratory tract;
- living in places with poor environmental conditions;
- having hormonal disorders and weak immunity.
- not resistant to stress.
A negative reaction of the body can be caused by one or a combination of several factors that must be identified in order to prevent their subsequent influence.
Symptoms
Bronchial asthma resembles other diseases in its symptoms , so people turn to a doctor when the disease has passed into a stage at which it is almost impossible to cope with it.
At the initial stage of development, acquired asthma proceeds imperceptibly and is detected only at the microscopic level. The next stage is regarded as a pre-asthmatic condition and requires urgent action. During this period, the patient has a sudden cough, runny nose, breathing problems.
The main clinical symptoms of the disease are:
- periodic attacks of choking:
- shortness of breath:
- a feeling of heaviness in the chest;
- the appearance of wheezing;
- difficulty breathing or rapid breathing;
- discharge of copious sputum;
- the appearance of morning and night cough.
Asthma is characterized by a lack of temperature, deterioration in general health, and headache.
In terms of its symptoms, it resembles other diseases, therefore, if one or more of the listed clinical signs occur, it is worth seeking the advice of a doctor.
Diagnostics
To identify the disease and make the correct diagnosis, it is necessary to carry out diagnostic measures, which include:
- patient interview;
- listening to the airways;
- radiography;
- laboratory blood tests;
- provocative tests to identify an allergen;
- conducting a test using a spirograph – for the functional assessment of the lungs’ capabilities (measuring the volume of inhaled and exhaled air).
The diagnostics will show the presence or absence of asthma and the degree of its severity, and will also allow prescribing effective treatment that will alleviate the patient’s condition.
Treatment
Bronchial asthma is a very serious disease, so all medications are used strictly as prescribed by a doctor. Self-medication is unacceptable, since improper use of medications can exacerbate the disease, intensify asthmatic attacks, or lead to death.
It is impossible to completely get rid of the disease, but the course of bronchial asthma can be controlled.
For the treatment to be effective, it is necessary to eliminate the provoking factors, which will help reduce the frequency and intensity of the manifestations of the disease.
For the treatment of asthma, use:
- Beta- adrenergic agonists in the form of aerosols of two types: fast-acting (used during attacks, no more than 4 times a day) and long-acting (to exclude bronchospasm).
- In the initial phase of the disease, the attacks are mild (they begin rapidly and just stop quickly). During this period, bronchodilator drugs are used (3-4 times a day, at regular intervals). They help to reduce edema, relieve bronchospasm, exclude attacks of suffocation, and normalize the process of mucus production.
- Inhaled glucocorticosteroids are taken daily for a long time. They relieve inflammation, have antiallergic and immunosuppressive effects. According to statistics, people who regularly take these drugs do not suffer from status asthmaticus.
- During an exacerbation, when inhalers are not able to alleviate the condition of an asthmatic, a course of hormonal preparations in tablet form is prescribed.
- Combined drugs have a simultaneous anti-inflammatory and bronchodilatory effect.
- Anticholinergics dilate the bronchi, help to reduce the amount of mucus, cough and shortness of breath. They are used in some cases to alleviate the condition. They are not used to relieve suffocation due to the fact that the effect appears with a delay.
The most important treatment for asthma is the use of drugs with the least side effects.
Every person with asthma should have a device ( peak flow meter ) for self-monitoring of the expiratory flow rate in liters, which will allow urgent measures to be taken to prevent an asthmatic attack.
Prevention
In the presence of asthma, it is recommended to adhere to the basic preventive measures:
- maintaining a healthy lifestyle (quitting smoking, physical activity, walking in the fresh air);
- strengthening immunity (hardening, taking vitamin preparations);
- exclusion of contact with substances that can cause allergies;
- timely treatment of viral and respiratory diseases:
- control of the emotional state;
- adherence to diet, rest and sleep;
- exclusion of hypothermia;
- nasal breathing.
To prevent asthmatic attacks from causing a feeling of panic and fear, it is necessary to learn to relax (do auto-training).
Compliance with the rules and adherence to the doctor’s recommendations will reduce the risk of asthmatic attacks and allow a person to lead a full-fledged lifestyle, without significant restrictions.