Asthma: A "breathtaking" lung condition
• Allergic asthma: The airways tighten when you breathe in an allergen such as pollen, animal dander, smoke or mold spores
• Aspirin-induced asthma: Asthma symptoms are triggered by taking aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Cough-variant asthma: The main asthma symptom is a dry, non-productive cough
• Exercise-induced asthma: The airways narrow or feel squeezed during strenuous physical activity
• Nighttime asthma: Coughing, chest tightness, wheezing and shortness of breath occur just before and during sleep
• Steroid-resistant asthma: When people with asthma symptoms have little or no response to high doses of inhaled or systemic corticosteroids
• Occupational asthma: When substances found in the workplace, such as dust and chemical irritants, cause the airways to swell and narrow
What are the symptoms of asthma?
Dr. Dabu notes that the most typical symptoms of asthma are shortness of breath, wheezing when exhaling, coughing, and chest tightness or pain.
Who gets asthma?
About one in 13 people in the United States have asthma, a total of nearly 26 million people. Of these, 21 million are adults over the age of 18, while an estimated 4.8 million are children.
In childhood, boys are twice as likely to have asthma as girls, but once puberty arrives, that statistic flips: women not only have more cases of asthma than men, but the disease also tends to be more severe. Why? Scientists believe ovarian hormones increase airway inflammation in asthma while testosterone decreases it.
Race is also a factor. Asthma rates are highest among Puerto Rican adults in the U.S., followed by Black adults.
What causes asthma?
According to the American Lung Association, the most common factors for developing asthma are having a parent with asthma (making a person three to six times more likely to develop asthma), having a severe viral respiratory infection as a child, having an allergic condition, occupational exposure to certain dusts, chemical irritants and molds, smoking, and air pollution. Inflammation, characterized by high levels of white blood cells called eosinophils and neutrophils in the airways, also plays a role in asthma.
What triggers asthma “attacks?”
Asthma symptoms are triggered by different things in different people. The most common triggers are allergens like dust, dust mites, smoke, pollen, animal dander and mold. For some, dry air is an issue, while high humidity affects others. Some foods or food additives and fragrances (like strong perfumes) can also be triggers, as well as infections like the flu.
“Strenuous exercise may also cause asthma symptoms, as can acid reflux,” Dr. Dabu adds.
How is asthma treated?
Treatment depends on the type of asthma you have and its severity.
“Inhalers — devices that let you breathe in medicine — are the main treatment,” Dr. Dabu says. “We also have newer injected medications called biologics that can help minimize the inflammatory process. And lifestyle modifications are essential to avoid triggers.”
Is asthma life-threatening?
Yes. On average, 10 people in the U.S. die from asthma every day, and adults are six times more likely to die from the disease than children.
“If you have asthma symptoms, it’s vital to see your primary care physician,” says Dr. Dabu. “If you’re still symptomatic after initial treatment, a referral to a pulmonary specialist is in order.
“While there’s no cure for asthma, it can be managed and controlled with appropriate treatment,” she adds, “and people can live full, active lives.”
For more information or to find a physician, call 760.568.1234, or visit EisenhowerHealth.org.
