• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 9588 0

asthma. Blacks and Hispanics are five times more likely to die of asthma than whites. Factors associated with an increased risk of dying of asthma include underestimating the severity of the disease, delaying treatment, and not following the prescribed drug regimen for a severe case. People at increased risk of dying are those who frequently require emergency treatment for severe asthma attacks, who use corticosteroids often or continuously, or who have a history of asthma attacks that require the use of a mechanical ventilator.

Symptoms

The symptoms of asthma vary widely from person to person and in the same person over time. You may have shortness of breath and tightness in your chest, and you may cough up whitish phlegm. You may also wheeze (make a high-pitched sound) when you breathe because you are trying to force air out of narrowed airways. The wheezing may be very loud or may be so low that it can only be heard by a doctor through a stethoscope. During a severe asthma attack, you may sweat profusely, have an increased pulse rate, and be extremely anxious.

Diagnosis

If you think you may have had an asthma attack, write down what you were doing and where you were when the symptoms occurred. Try to give your doctor a clear description of what occurred before and during the attack. He or she will examine you, including listening to your lungs with a stethoscope, and may recommend lung function tests such as peak flow monitoring (see page 647) to measure the breathing capacity of your lungs and to help confirm the diagnosis.

Asthma attack

An asthma attack results when the smooth muscle wall of the airways is swollen from inflammation and becomes constricted, obstructing the airways. Breathing becomes difficult and the body gets less oxygen.

WARNING!

What to Do if You Are Having an Asthma Attack

If you are having an asthma attack, use your inhaler or nebulizer correctly. If you do not get relief in 30 minutes, call your doctor. He or she may recommend that you try the inhaler or nebulizer again. If you still are having symptoms, get medical attention immediately—call 911 or your local emergency number.

An allergy that may trigger asthma is diagnosed by skin or blood tests. In the skin prick test, small amounts of the possible allergen are placed on your skin, and your skin is pricked. If you are allergic to the substance, your skin will react (usually with itching, redness, and mild swelling). Blood tests measure the levels of antibodies the body produces in response to suspected allergens. Blood tests are recommended for diagnosing asthma in people who are not able to take the skin prick test (either because they cannot stop taking antihistamines or because they have skin rashes—both of which interfere with the results of skin tests) and in people who are at risk of having a severe reaction from a skin test. Your doctor will decide which method is best for you.

In making a diagnosis, doctors classify asthma into the following four general forms:

• Mild intermittent asthma People with mild intermittent asthma have symptoms less often than twice a week, and nighttime symptoms less often than twice a month. Their lung function test results (see page 647) are in the normal range.

• Mild persistent asthma People with mild persistent asthma have symptoms more often than twice a week, and nighttime symptoms more often than twice a month. Their lung function test results are in the normal range.

• Moderate persistent asthma People with moderate persistent asthma have symptoms every day, and nighttime symptoms more often than once a week. Their lung function test results are slightly abnormal, which indicates that their lung function is decreased.

• Severe persistent asthma People with severe persistent asthma have symptoms continuously throughout the day (even with little physical activity), and frequent nighttime symptoms. Their lung function test results are substantially abnormal, which indicates that their lung function is decreased.

Treatment

Asthma has no cure, but it can be controlled;