PRESENTED BY GROUP 1

What Is Asthma?

 Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways that
makes breathing difficult.
 With asthma, there is inflammation of the air
passages that results in a temporary narrowing of the
airways that carry oxygen to the lungs
 . This results in asthma symptoms,
including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath,
and chest tightness.
 What Is Asthma?

 If it is severe, asthma can result in decreased activity
and inability to talk.
 Some people refer to asthma as "bronchial asthma.“
 Even though there are seemingly
miraculous treatments for asthma symptoms, asthma
is still a serious -- even dangerous -- disease that
affects about 25 million Americans and causes nearly
2 million emergency room visits ever year.
 With proper asthma treatment, you can live well
with this condition.
 What Is Asthma?

 Inadequate treatment of the disease limits the ability
to exercise and be active.
 Poorly controlled asthma can lead to multiple visits
to the emergency room and even hospital admission,
which can affect your performance at home and
work.
THREE MAJOR
FEATURES OF
ASTHMA
 Airway obstruction

 During normal breathing, the bands of muscle that
surround the airways are relaxed, and air moves
freely. But in people with asthma, allergy-causing
substances, colds and respiratory viruses, and
environmental triggers make the bands of muscle
surrounding the airways tighten, and air cannot
move freely. Less air causes a person to feel short of
breath, and the air moving out through the tightened
airways causes a whistling sound known
as wheezing. (Fortunately, this airway narrowing is
reversible, a feature that distinguishes asthma from
other lung diseases such as bronchitis or
emphysema.)
 Inflammation

People with asthma have red and
swollen bronchial tubes. This
inflammation is thought to contribute
greatly to the long-term damage that
asthma can cause to the lungs. And,
therefore, treating this inflammation is
key to managing asthma in the long
run.
 Airway irritability

 The airways of people with asthma are extremely
sensitive. The airways tend to overreact and narrow
due to even the slightest triggers such as pollen,
animal dander, dust, or fumes.
 Bronchial asthma

 affects the bronchi in the lungs.
 Bronchial asthma is simply another name for the
most common type of asthma. Symptoms include
coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness
of breath.
 Unless a specific type of asthma is mentioned, most
references made to asthma are about bronchial
asthma.
 Bronchitis vs. asthma

 Despite having similar symptoms, bronchitis and
asthma aren’t related conditions. They both lead to
inflamed airways that can make breathing difficult,
but key distinctions separate the two conditions.
 For example, bronchitis causes a thick mucus when
you cough, fever, chills, and body aches. Asthma
doesn’t cause these symptoms.
 Like asthma, bronchitis can also be acute — that is,
treatment will end the symptoms — or chronic. Both
chronic bronchitis and chronic asthma need to be
treated daily in order to avoid worsening symptoms.
TYPES OF
ASTHMA
 Allergic asthma
(extrinsic asthma)

Allergens trigger this type of asthma. These might
include:
 pet dander from animals like cats and dogs
 food
 mold
 pollen
 Dust
 Allergic asthma is more likely to be seasonal because
it often goes hand-in-hand with seasonal allergies.
 Non-allergic asthma
(intrinsic asthma)

Irritants in the air not related to allergies trigger this
type of asthma. Irritants might include:
 burning wood and cigarette smoke
 cold air
 air pollution
 viral illnesses
 air fresheners
 household cleaning products
 perfumes
 Occupational asthma

Occupational asthma is a type of asthma induced by
triggers in the workplace. These include:
 dust
 dyes
 gases and fumes
 industrial chemicals
 animal proteins
 rubber latex
These irritants can exist in a wide range of industries,
including farming, textiles, woodworking, and
manufacturing.
 Exercise-induced
bronchoconstriction (EIB)

 Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) usually
affects people within a few minutes of starting
exercise and up to 10–15 minutes after physical
activity. This condition was previously known as
exercise-induced asthma (EIA).
 Up to 90 percent of people with asthma also
experience EIB, but not everyone with EIB will have
other types of asthma.
 Nocturnal asthma

 In this type of asthma, symptoms worsen at night.
 Triggers that are thought to bring on symptoms at
night include heartburn, pet dander, and dust mites.
The body’s natural sleep cycle may also trigger
nocturnal asthma.
HEARTBURN PET DANDER

DUST MITES NIGHT

 Cough-variant asthma
(CVA)

 Cough-variant asthma doesn’t have classic asthma
symptoms of wheezing and shortness of breath.
CVA is characterized by a persistent, dry cough.
 Cough-variant asthma can lead to full-blown asthma
flares that include the other more common
symptoms.
ASTHMA SYMPTOMS

Symptoms of asthma include:
 coughing, especially at night, when laughing, or
during exercise
 wheezing, a squealing or whistling sound made
when breathing
 tightness in the chest
 shortness of breath
 Fatigue
The type of asthma that you have can determine which
symptoms you experience.
 Cause of asthma

No single cause has been identified for asthma. Instead,
researchers believe that the breathing condition is caused by
a variety of factors. These factors include:
 Genetics. If a parent has asthma, you’re more likely to
develop it.
 History of viral infections. People with a history of viral
infections during childhood are more likely to develop
the condition.
 Hygiene hypothesis. This hypothesis proposes that
babies aren’t exposed to enough bacteria in their early
months and years. Therefore, their immune systems don’t
become strong enough to fight off asthma and other
conditions.
 Early allergen exposure. Frequent contact with
possible allergens and irritants may increase your risk for
developing asthma.
 Asthma triggers

Certain conditions and environments may also trigger
symptoms of asthma. These triggers include:
 Illness. Respiratory illnesses such as
the flu and pneumonia can trigger asthma attacks.
 Exercise. Increased movement may make breathing more
difficult.
 Irritants in the air. People with asthma may be sensitive
to irritants such as chemical fumes, strong odors, and
smoke.
 Allergens. Animal dander, dust mites, and pollen are just
a few examples of allergens that can trigger symptoms.
Extreme weather conditions. Conditions such as very
high humidity or low temperatures may trigger asthma.
 Emotions. Shouting, laughing, and crying may trigger an
attack.
 Asthma Attack

 An asthma attack is a sudden worsening of symptoms.
With an asthma attack, your airways tighten, swell up, or
fill with mucus. Common symptoms include:
 Coughing, especially at night
 Wheezing (a high-pitched whistling sound when
breathing out)
 Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
 Chest tightness, pain, or pressure
 Not every person with asthma experiences the same
symptoms of an asthma attack. You may not have all of
these symptoms, or you may have different symptoms at
different times. Your symptoms may be subtle, such as
decreased activity, or lethargy. Your symptoms may also
vary from mild to severe from one asthma attack to the
next.
 Asthma risk factors

 A combination of environmental and genetic factors may contribute to the
development of asthma. These risk factors for asthma include:
 Race. African-Americans and Puerto Ricans are more likely to develop
asthma.
 Sex. Boys are more likely than girls to be diagnosed with asthma in
childhood. However, in adulthood, women are more frequently diagnosed
with the condition than men.
 Genetics. Children born to parents with the disease are more likely to
develop it.
 Health history. People diagnosed with certain conditions, including
allergies and eczema, are more likely to also be diagnosed with asthma.
 Age. Asthma can and does develop in adulthood, but the majority of
asthma diagnoses are made while a person is still in childhood.
 Environment. People living in an area with heavy pollution are at a greater
risk for developing asthma.
 Weight. Children and adults who are overweight or obese are more likely
to develop asthma.
 Asthma diagnosis

There’s no single test or exam that will determine if you or your child
has asthma. Instead, your doctor will use a variety of criteria to
determine if symptoms are the result of asthma.
The following can help diagnose asthma:
 Health history. If you have family members with the breathing
disorder, your risk is higher. Alert your doctor to this genetic
connection.
 Physical exam. Your doctor will listen to your breathing with
a stethoscope. They may also conduct a skin test, looking for signs
of an allergic reaction such as hives or eczema. Allergies increase
your risk for asthma.
 Breathing tests. Your doctor may use pulmonary function tests
(PFTs) to measure airflow into and out of your lungs. The most
common test, spirometry, requires you to blow into a device that
can measure the speed of the air.
 Asthma diagnosis

 Doctors don’t typically perform breathing tests in
children under 5 years of age. It’s difficult to get an
accurate reading. Instead, they may prescribe asthma
medicines to your child and wait to see if symptoms
improve. If they do, your child likely has asthma.
 For adults, your doctor may prescribe a
bronchodilator or other asthma medication if test
results indicate asthma.
 If symptoms improve with the use of this
medication, your doctor will continue to treat your
condition as asthma.
 Asthma in children

 Around 6 million children in the United States have
asthma. The majority of them experienced their first
symptoms of this chronic disease by age 5.
 Diagnosing asthma in children is difficult. Their
airways are already small due to their size. Common
childhood illnesses such as head and chest colds can
further inflame the tissues in these airways. That can
make detecting an underlying breathing problem
such as asthma hard.
 Asthma in children

Children with asthma may exhibit symptoms such as:
 difficulty eating or sucking
 panting during activities that shouldn’t leave them
winded
 a nagging cough
 coughing, especially at night
 labored breathing
 rapid breathing that pulls the skin around their ribs or
neck tight
 frequent colds that settle into the chest
 Asthma in children

 Among older children, the most common symptoms
include:
 wheezing, or a squealing sound, especially when
exhaling
 feeling winded after physical activities
 chest tightness
 cough
These symptoms are easy to mistake for coughs and
colds, both of which young children are prone to in
their earliest years.
 Asthma pregnancy

 Asthma affects 8 percent of women in their childbearing
years, so it’s no wonder that asthma is one of the most
common diseases that pregnant women can experience.
 There’s no way to know how pregnancy will affect
asthma. Some expecting mothers don’t experience a
change. For others, their pregnancy may make their
asthma better or even worse. If symptoms worsen, it’s
more likely to happen in
your second and third trimesters.
 Some women also experience the onset of asthma while
they’re pregnant.
 If you have asthma, you should work closely with your
doctor during your pregnancy to reduce risks for you and
your growing fetus.
 Asthma pregnancy

 You may need to adjust the dosage of your maintenance
medicine. Your doctor may also want to change the
emergency medicine you keep on hand in the event that
your symptoms are worse than they were before your
pregnancy.
It remains vital that you treat your asthma while you’re
pregnant. Untreated asthma can lead to complications, such
as:
 severe morning sickness
 preterm labor
 pregnancy-induced high blood pressure
 preeclampsia
If your baby isn’t getting enough oxygen, they can also
experience health complications.
 Treatment of asthma

 Treatments for asthma fall into three primary
categories: breathing exercises, rescue or first aid
treatments, and long-term asthma control
medications.
 Your doctor will determine the right treatment or
combination of treatments for you based on the type
of asthma you have, your age, and your triggers.
 Breathing exercises

 These exercises can help you get more air into and
out of your lungs. Over time, this may help increase
lung capacity and cut down on severe asthma
symptoms. Your doctor or an occupational therapist
can help you learn these breathing exercises for
asthma.
 Rescue or first aid
treatments

 These medications should only be used in the event
of an asthma attack. They provide quick relief to
help you breathe again. Examples include:
 rescue inhalers and nebulizers, which are used with
medicine that needs to be inhaled deep into the
lungs
 bronchodilators, which work to relax the tightened
muscles in your lung
 anti-inflammatories, which target inflammation in
your lungs that could be preventing your breathing
 Rescue or first aid
treatments

 If you think that someone you know is having an
asthma attack, you should sit them upright and
assist them in using their rescue inhaler or nebulizer.
Two to six puffs of medication should help ease their
symptoms.
 If symptoms persist for more than 20 minutes, and a
second round of medication doesn’t help, seek
medical attention.
 Long-term asthma
control mediations

 These medications should be taken daily to prevent
symptoms. Some rescue treatments, such as inhalers
and nebulizers, can be used daily. However, your
doctor will need to adjust your dosages.
 Several types of medications are used to treat
asthma.
Asthma home remedies

 In general, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and
alternative remedies aren’t encouraged as treatments
for asthma. If not treated properly, asthma can be
life-threatening.
 However, these home remedies may help stop
symptoms from escalating and may be effective in an
emergency:
 Coffee or caffeinated
tea

 A chemical in caffeine acts similarly to the asthma
drug theophylline. It opens up airways and may ease
symptoms of asthma for up to four hours.
 Essential oils

 Inhaling eucalyptus essential oil may ease breathing
difficulties brought on by asthma. Lavender and
basil essential oils also show promise. However, for
some individuals, inhaling essential oils may make
asthma worse. Strong smells and chemicals can
trigger asthma or worsen symptoms.
 Mustard oil

 This fatty oil, made from pressed mustard seeds, can
be massaged into the skin to help open
airways. Mustard oil is different than mustard
essential oil, a medicinal oil which shouldn’t be
applied directly to the skin.
 Asthma prevention

 Because researchers have yet to identify the exact cause of asthma,
it’s challenging to know how a person can prevent the
inflammatory condition.
 However, more information is known about preventing asthma
attacks. These strategies include:
 Avoiding triggers. Steer clear of chemicals, smells, or products that
have caused breathing problems in the past.
 Reducing exposure to allergens. If you’ve identified allergens,
such as dust or mold, that trigger an asthma attack, avoid them as
best you can.
 Getting allergy shots. Allergen immunotherapy is a type of
treatment that may help alter your immune system. With routine
shots, your body may become less sensitive to any triggers you
encounter.
 Taking preventive medication. Your doctor may prescribe
medicine for you to take on a daily basis. This medicine may be
used in addition to the one you use in case of an emergency.
 Management of asthma

 In addition to using maintenance medications, you can take steps each day to
make yourself healthier and reduce your risk for asthma attacks. These
include:
 Eating a healthier diet. Eating a healthy, balanced diet can improve your
overall health, which may reduce the risks for asthma attacks. In that same
vein, research suggests that eliminating processed foods may cut down on the
risk of an asthma attack.
 Maintaining a healthy weight. Asthma tends to be worse in overweight
and obese individuals. Losing weight is healthy for your heart, your joints, and
your lungs.
 Quitting smoking. Irritants such as cigarette smoke can trigger asthma. You
also put yourself at greater risk for COPD.
 Exercising regularly. Activity can trigger an asthma attack, but regular
exercise may actually reduce the risk of breathing problems. Aerobic
activity can strengthen your lungs and help you breathe better.
 Managing stress. Stress can be a trigger for asthma symptoms. Stress can also
make stopping an asthma attack more difficult. Find healthy ways to reduce
your stress and anxiety.
 Long-term outlook

 At the moment. there’s no cure for asthma. However,
there are many effective treatments that can decrease
asthma symptoms. Lifestyle changes and medications can
also improve your quality of life.
 The key is to become educated. The more you know, the
better your lung function will be and the better you’ll feel.
Talk with doctor about:
 your type of asthma
 what triggers your symptoms
 what daily treatments are best for you
 your treatment plan for an asthma attack