Potential Drugs To Treat Smokers With Asthma
Alternative or additional treatment to inhaled corticosteroids may be required for asthmatics who are unable to stop smoking or who have persistent symptoms following smoking cessation. There are no published clinical trials of noncorticosteroid therapies in asthmatic smokers, but several currently licensed drugs, as well as new drugs under development, may show efficacy in this group of patients .
The combination of a long-acting 2 receptor agonist and an inhaled corticosteroid is highly effective in the treatment of asthma and, to a lesser extent, COPD , . These two drugs may interact to potentiate the suppression of inflammation associated with both conditions , . Thus, possibly the combination of these drugs may be of benefit in the treatment of asthmatic smokers. Low-dose theophylline activates HDAC, which is recruited by corticosteroids to suppress inflammation . Theophylline reverses the suppressive effects of cigarette smoke on HDAC in vitro, and, thus, could potentially restore corticosteroid sensitivity in asthmatics who smoke. The efficacy of selective phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors, such as cilomilast and roflumilast, in the treatment of COPD and their inhibitory effect on neutrophil function suggests that these compounds might be effective in asthmatic smokers.
Is Vaping Bad For Asthma
Vaping is the inhaling and exhaling of a vapor produced by electronic cigarettes or a similar device. Electronic cigarettes are smokeless and battery-operated devices. They are used to deliver nicotine with flavorings or other chemicals to the lungs. They are often sold in fun flavors that appeal to teens and youth.
Most devices resemble cigarettes. Others resemble pens, hookah tips, screwdrivers or memory sticks and have cartridges that are refillable. The liquid in the cartridges becomes an aerosol that is inhaled into the lungs.
Any product with cigarette in its name should be a red flag for anyone who has asthma or allergies.
One recent study showed that long-term use of e-cigarettes increases the risk of respiratory disease. This includes asthma, COPD and chronic bronchitis. The data showed the risk of developing a lung or respiratory disease was significantly linked to e-cigarette use. The risk was even stronger in people who smoked both e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes.
Teens who use e-cigarettes are at higher risk of moving to traditional cigarettes according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. E-cigarettes are often marketed as an effective smoking cessation aid. Science and research do not support these claims.
Why Does My Chest Feel Tight After Smoking
There are many different reasons why your chest could feel tight after youve smoked a cigarette or when youve begun to give up smoking. If you experience any chest pain or tightness speak to your doctor all call the NHS 111 helpline. It may be that youve been coughing more due to smoking and this has put pressure on your lungs, or you have a chest infection. Its best to get your pain looked at by a doctor as they can help find the cause of your symptoms and chest tightness.
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Here Are Some Tips To Help You Stop Smoking
- Talk to your doctor about medicines to help you quit smoking.
- Create a quit plan and set a quit date.
- Tell your friends and family members that youre trying to quit so they can support you.
- Enroll in a quit smoking class or program.
- Find out what makes you want to smoke. Plan ways to avoid these times or think of ways you can deal with them without smoking.
- Reduce your exposure to other smokers.
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Can Smoking Harm My Child
Secondhand smoke harms children with asthma even more than adults.
When a child is exposed to tobacco smoke, their lungs become irritated and produce more mucus than normal. Since children’s airways are smaller, the side effects of secondhand smoke affect them faster and can also affect lung function in later life.
Children of parents who smoke are also more likely to develop lung and sinus infections. These infections can make asthma symptoms worse and more difficult to control.
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Can You Improve Your Asthma By Quitting Smoking
The statistic is shocking: 21 percent of people with asthma smoke cigarettes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , even though smoking is a well-known asthma trigger.
Further, secondhand smoke is especially dangerous for people with asthma particularly children with still-developing airways. They are more vulnerable to getting sick with bronchitis, pneumonia and ear infections.
Smoking kills more than 1,300 Americans per day. In addition to increasing risks of asthma flares and possibly developing asthma, it increases the risks of developing lung disease, heart disease and stroke.
Quitting is the single best thing you can do to improve your asthma and your overall health. It can significantly reduce your childs risk of an asthma flare.
E-cigarettes are marketed as a way to quit smoking, but theres no definitive evidence to support this claim. In fact, e-cigarettes contain substances that have been linked to respiratory illness, as well as pollutants that can be inhaled secondhand and worsen asthma.
Here are helpful steps to START quitting:
S = Set a quit date.
T = Tell your family, friends and coworkers you are quitting and ask for their support.
This will give you a group of people who will support you. Plus, publically declaring what you are going to do makes it harder to go back.
A = Anticipate problems and think about how you will handle them.
R = Remove all your cigarettes from your home, work and car.
How Is Asthma Treated
Many people believe their asthma is being treated if they use their blue reliever inhaler as needed.
But relievers dont address the underlying airway inflammation, even though they relieve the symptoms. They should never be used as a daily medication for asthma.
Asthma treatment requires an anti-inflammatory medication, usually an inhaled corticosteroid taken regularly. These medications control the underlying inflammatory process and prevent symptoms and attacks.
Anti-inflammatory treatments are effective in maintaining asthma control day by day so that even with smoke and air pollution exposure, symptoms and attacks are less likely to occur.
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People with asthma should have a written action plan which identifies symptoms that typically occur during asthma flare-ups and enables patients to increase their medications appropriately.
Finally, because asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition it requires monitoring and regular review. In these reviews, your doctor will check your lung function and ensure youre taking the right medication and that your action plan is up to date.
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Asthma Control And Severity
Both morbidity and mortality from asthma are increased in individuals who are cigarette smokers compared with never-smokers. Asthmatic smokers have more severe asthmatic symptoms , , greater need for rescue medication and worse indices of health status when compared with never-smokers , . Smoking a cigarette can cause acute bronchoconstriction, although tobacco smoke does not act as an acute irritant in all patients . Baseline FEV1 is directly related to the immediate response to inhaling cigarette smoke , suggesting that asthmatic smokers with poorer lung function may be particularly susceptible to the acute effect of tobacco smoke. Smokers compared with nonsmokers with atopic asthma are less responsive to inhaled adenosine, which may point towards differences in airway inflammation .
Move Away From Triggers
The presence of asthma triggers wont only cause an attack, they can also make your symptoms worse. Be sure to try to get away from things that may be triggering your asthma attack.
For example, if youre in an area where people are smoking cigarettes, you should move away promptly.
Its also important to know your triggers. Common triggers include:
- , such as pet dander, pollen, or certain foods
You should always be sure to seek immediate emergency medical treatment if you experience any of the following symptoms during an asthma attack:
- your symptoms continue to get worse even after treatment
- you cant speak except in short words or phrases
- youre straining your chest muscles in an effort to breathe
- your shortness of breath or wheezing is severe, particularly in the early morning or late-night hours
- you begin to feel drowsy or tired
- your lips or face appear blue when youre not coughing
Symptoms that indicate that you could be experiencing an asthma attack include:
- severe shortness of breath
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Does Smoking Make Asthma Worse
Yes. If you have asthma, smoking is especially risky because of the damage it does to the lungs.
Smoke irritates the airways, making them swollen, narrow, and filled with sticky mucus the same things that happen during an asthma flare-up. That’s why smoking can cause asthma flare-ups to happen more often. They also might be more severe and harder to control, even with medicine.
Therapeutic Response To Corticosteroids
The effect of treatment with inhaled fluticasone propionate or placebo for 3 weeks was studied in corticosteroid-naïve adult asthmatic patients by means of a randomised placebo-controlled crossover study . All of the subjects had asthma with evidence of bronchial hyperreactivity. Nonsmokers had a significant increase in mean morning peak expiratory flow , mean FEV1 and geometric mean provocative concentration causing a 20% fall in FEV1 of methacholine, and a significant decrease in sputum eosinophils following fluticasone compared with placebo. These outcome measures showed no significant changes in the smoking asthmatics. A randomised parallel group study with inhaled fluticasone propionate or placebo for 6 weeks examined the effects on airway responsiveness to methacholine in 52 treatment-naïve adult asthmatic patients, of whom approximately one-half were current smokers . Inhaled fluticasone decreased geometric mean PC20 of methacholine compared with placebo . Multiple linear regression analysis showed that current smoking did not influence the magnitude of the effect of inhaled fluticasone on PC20 of methacholine.
Taken together, the results of these clinical studies suggest that smokers with asthma can be resistant to the beneficial therapeutic effects of corticosteroids. There are several clinical factors that might influence the response to corticosteroids in asthmatic smokers. These include:
Diagnosis
Duration of inhaled corticosteroid therapy
Intensity of smoking
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Is There A Safe Way To Use Cannabis If You Have Asthma Are There Benefits
There may be potential cannabis benefits for asthma when taking it in other ways than smoking or vaping. Alternative ways to use cannabis include:
- cannabis edibles
- cannabis tincture/oil
- cannabis topical products.
These routes of administration may be safer since they do not impact the lungs the same way inhaled routes do.
In addition, smoking cannabis or being exposed to secondhand cannabis smoke could cause an allergic reaction.
For some people with asthma, cannabis acts as an immediate bronchodilator. A bronchodilator relaxes the airways which can help breathing.; But that doesnt make cannabis a long-term solution for asthma control, Zeiger says. Patients need to speak with their doctors about their cannabis use. They should work together with their doctor to decide on the route of administration that is safest for them.
In the PEACE survey, participants also cited their purpose for using cannabis. These included:
- medical reasons
- recreational use
- both medical and recreational use .
Survey participants reported improved sleep, less pain and decreased anxiety after using cannabis. But survey participants also reported increased symptoms after using cannabis:
- coughing
- wheeze
- shortness of breath .
It appears that many asthma and allergy patients are using cannabis for a variety of reasons that may have nothing to do with their asthma, Zeiger says.
How To Prevent An Asthma Attack
Preventing an asthma attack is easier to do if you know what triggers your asthma.
Avoidance of the triggers can help prevent an asthma attack in many cases, says David Stempel, MD, Senior VP of Clinical and Medical Affairs at Propeller Health. Asthma attacks can be further mitigated by taking preventative medications such as inhaled corticosteroids and in some cases using a short-acting bronchodilator, like albuterol, 15 minutes prior to exposure to a trigger like exercise.
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What Is Thirdhand Smoke
Thirdhand smoke is residue from tobacco smoke. When a cigarette is smoked, chemicals in the smoke stick to surfaces and dust for months after the smoke is gone. The chemicals in the residue then react to other pollutants in the air, like ozone, to create harmful particles you can easily inhale.1
Thirdhand smoke particles are extremely tiny, easily making their way into your lungs. These particles can stick to skin and clothing. Adults and children then breathe in the residue or absorb it through their skin or mouth. Some experts believe thirdhand smoke may be worse for those with asthma than nicotine.
Smoking outdoors does not reduce the threat of thirdhand smoke. Airing out rooms or cars doesnt help. Open windows, fans, air filters or confining smoking to certain rooms or outside will not reduce thirdhand smoke either.
The effects of tobacco go beyond its smoke. Doctors measure cotinine, a chemical found in tobacco, to find out how much nicotine in the body. Cotinine can be found in the urine of those who come in contact with thirdhand smoke.
Smoke May Smell Good But It’s Not Good For You
While not everyone has the same sensitivity to wildfire smoke, its still a good idea to avoid breathing smoke if you can help it. And when smoke is heavy, such as can occur in close proximity to a wildfire, its bad for everyone.
Smoke is made up of a complex mixture of gases and fine particles produced when wood and other organic materials burn. The biggest health threat from smoke is from fine particles. These microscopic particles can penetrate deep into your lungs. They can cause a range of health problems, from burning eyes and a runny nose to aggravated chronic heart and lung diseases. Exposure to particle pollution is even linked to premature death.
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Asthma And Smoking When You Cant Avoid Smoky Places
If you cant always keep away from smoky places, it is important to manage your asthma on a daily basis. If you need to take your reliever medication more than two times a week , visit your doctor. Your asthma management plan might need to be adjusted.;
Remember to take your reliever medication with you when you visit a smoky place.
How Do You Know If You Are Having An Asthma Attack
An asthma attack happens when the body is exposed to a triggerlike pollen or smokethat causes the airways to become inflamed and swollen.
Asthma attacks are uncomfortable to experience and can be frightening, especially for children. If you or someone you know is having any of the following symptoms, they may be having an asthma attack:
- Difficulty breathing;
- Chest tightness or pain;
- Coughing or wheezing
An asthma attack may go away after a few minutes with proper treatment, but symptoms can last longer and become life-threatening if untreated. Seek medical attention immediately if you or someone you know is having a severe asthma attack with one or more of the following symptoms:
- A feeling of panic about the asthma attack
- Pale and sweaty face
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Pregnancy Smoking And Asthma Risk
Pregnant women are advised not to smoke and to avoid secondhand smoke. There are many good reasons for that advice because cigarette smoke leads to low birth weight and higher infant mortality. One little known reason to avoid exposure to smoke during pregnancy, though, is that data show a link between a mothers exposure to smoking either her own or someone elses and an increase in her baby’s future risk of asthma attacks.
Additionally, there is research that shows “if your parents smoke , youre more likely to develop asthma, says Dr. Rosenman.
Bushfires And Prescribed Burns
Australia is one of the worlds most bushfire prone countries. Bushfires and burns implemented to reduce the risk or size of bushfires or for other reasons, known as hazard reduction or planned burns, are extremely hazardous for people with asthma and other respiratory conditions. People with asthma and carers looking after loved ones with asthma should be extra vigilant around bushfire season, as well as times when hazard reduction burns are planned.
For information about prescribed burns and bushfires visit your local fire service page.
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Benefits Of Marijuana For Asthma
Asthma starts with the inflammation of the airway, which leads to spasms in the respiratory system.;
Cannabis asthma management is possible because marijuana is an anti-inflammation and an anti-spasmodic agent that provides some comfort from asthma.; The cannabinoids in marijuana connect with cannabinoid receptors in a sufferers immune system. Once marijuana and CB2 connect, they send signals to cells in the affected airway leading to the reduction of the inflammation.;
Sinusitis And Other Upper Respiratory Infections
Much like asthma causes inflammation in the lining of your airways, sinusitis causes inflammation in the mucus membranes that line your sinuses. This makes the membranes put out more mucus. If you have asthma and your sinuses get inflamed, your airways may too. Prompt treatment of a sinus infection can relieve asthma symptoms.
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Can Smoking Harm My Unborn Child
Smoking harms both the mother and her unborn child. Along with harming the mothers lungs directly, nicotine, the addictive substance in tobacco products, and other substances are carried through the bloodstream of the mother and goes directly to the baby.
Children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy are more likely to have respiratory problems and are ten times more likely to develop asthma. Smoking during pregnancy has also been linked with low-weight newborns, premature births and sudden infant death syndrome.