The definition of treatment for asthma depends on the severity of the disease, which is divided into 3 groups.
1. Mild asthma. Exacerbations are not more than twice a year, for the relief of symptoms, parenteral (subcutaneous, intramuscular or intravenous) administration of drugs is not required, but rather inhalation of certain drugs. During an exacerbation period, short-term breathing difficulties are not more than twice a week.
In mild asthma, the maximum allowable levels of external respiration function indicators – fixed expiratory volume per second (FEV) and peak expiratory flow rate (POS) are at least 80%, daily variability is up to 20%.
2. Asthma of moderate severity. Exacerbations are observed 3-5 times a year, asthmatic conditions are possible, the relief of which requires parenteral administration of drugs. In the phase of remission, breathing difficulties are possible more than twice a week.
The maximum attainable levels of PIC and FEV are from 60 to 80%, daily variability is from 20 to 30%.
3. Severe asthma. The disease is characterized by a continuously recurring course. In periods of exacerbation, parenteral administration of drugs and special types of therapy are required.
The maximum attainable levels of PIC and FEV do not exceed 60%, daily variability may exceed 30%.
Depending on the origin and severity of the disease, treatment methods for bronchial asthma are determined. A person who has symptoms of a disease characteristic of bronchial asthma should not experiment with his health and choose treatment methods and medications on his own, they are prescribed only by a doctor.
Asthma treatment is not just the use of a number of medications and physiotherapeutic agents and methods, it is a whole strategy. It is advisable that the patient is constantly monitored by one doctor, periodically coming to him for examinations and consultations, and not only seek help during periods of exacerbation of the disease. This will allow the doctor to constantly observe the patient, to better know the features of the course of the disease and choose the most effective methods of treatment.
It is important to understand that the daily treatment will be carried out not by the doctor, but by the patient himself with the help of relatives and friends. The doctor’s task is to select the necessary drugs and prepare individual treatment programs for the patient. It is especially important to help patients and their families understand the causes and essence of the disease, the principles and procedure for its treatment, and how to properly respond to any changes in the clinical condition.
Treatment according to a personal program begins after the final diagnosis is made, its basis is the coordinated actions of the doctor and the patient. First of all, the patient must learn to use inhalers with special medications and peak flow meters – portable devices for determining peak expiratory flow, to understand the difference between medications to relieve symptoms during an attack and preventive agents used outside of periods of exacerbation, to know the main signs of worsening conditions and what changes in treatment should be made when they appear.
It is useful to keep a patient’s diary, daily noting well-being, the drugs used and peak flow meter readings. It is especially important for the patient and his relatives to take into account psychological factors that may interfere with the objective control of the course of the disease. Asthma, like any chronic disease, can have a serious effect on the patient’s mental state and cause neurosis. At the heart of them lies the fear of suffocation and death, experienced by a person during attacks of suffocation. Over time, with the repeated manifestation of seizures and their successful relief, the level of fear decreases significantly, but on a subconscious level, it continues to exist. Therefore, it is advisable to include measures of psychotherapy in the complex treatment of bronchial asthma.
Bronchial asthma is a disease of developed countries. According to all forecasts, the number of people with such a diagnosis will continue to increase for a long time. It should be borne in mind that in most cases the right way of life and the use of medications selected by a doctor allows a person with such a diagnosis to work actively, play sports, and lead a normal full life.