Action Plans And Self
Action plans for exacerbations are effective in asthma, allowing patients to develop coping skills, anticipate early exacerbation symptoms, self-initiate appropriate treatment, and seek medical advice prior to significant deterioration. Trials assessing the effects of action plans in COPD management have shown conflicting results, with variable adjuncts to patient care likely contributors. Those with positive results, such as expedited exacerbation recovery and reduced hospital admissions, have included additional supports, such as intensive education and case management. In contrast, action plans with limited or no SME and no case management have little beneficial effect.
A recent randomized controlled trial that suggested an unexpected increase in all-cause and COPD-specific mortality with a comprehensive care management program including a COPD action plan for US veterans, highlighted the value of identifying those with adult-onset asthma for whom the benefits are well-documented. Putting this disturbing finding into the context of the COPD literature is important, and identifying factors predisposing to a poor outcome will be a challenge for those involved in developing clinical practice guidelines. While the association did not appear related to increasing age or COPD severity, these findings suggest that self-management programs may not be appropriate for all patients with COPD.
Asthma Medication Is Important
Asthma can be well-controlled with the appropriate medication in almost all people. To maintain and improve your asthma control both in the short and long term, it is important to continue to take your asthma medications and discuss any symptoms and concerns with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
The main types of medication are:
- preventers that slowly make the airways less sensitive to triggers by reducing swelling and mucus inside the airways. This medication is taken daily. There are also combination preventer medications containing two different medications.
- relievers that act quickly to relieve symptoms by relaxing the tight muscles around the airways. This medication is used during an asthma attack
What Causes Adults To Develop Asthma
At least 30% of adult asthma cases are triggered by allergies. People who are allergic to cats may have an increased risk for developing adult onset asthma. Exposure to allergens or irritants such as cigarette smoke, chemicals, mold, dust, or other substances commonly found in the persons environment might trigger the first asthma symptoms in an adult.
Prolonged exposure to certain workplace materials may set off asthma symptoms in adults.
Hormonal fluctuations in women may play a role in adult onset asthma. Some women first develop asthma symptoms during or after a pregnancy. Women going through menopause can develop asthma symptoms for the first time.
Different illnesses, viruses, or infections can be a factor in adult onset asthma. A bad cold or a bout with the flu is often a factor in adult onset asthma.
Smoking does not cause adult onset asthma however, if you smoke or if you are exposed to cigarette smoke , it may provoke asthma symptoms.
Recommended Reading: A National Survey Of Asthma Conducted On May 1 2012
Favorite Blogs About Living With Asthma
The Asthma Allergies Children blog is the work of two physicians, both trained in allergies and immunology. The blog covers topics like medication adherence, cost of care, doctors pet peeves, integrative medicine, new research, and other news. For timely takes on noteworthy topics, check it out.
Stephen Gaudet was born with severe asthma more than 60 years ago and started his blog back in 2004. The blog chronicles the trials and tribulations asthma has caused him, as well as the victories. To date, Gaudet has completed 21 races and nine marathons . Read more about his debilitating diagnosis and how he has overcome it.
Additional reporting bySari Harrar.
How Do You Know If Its Asthma Or Anxiety
Its always good to be on the safe side, so its better to get a professional opinion about it. Those two conditions have similar symptoms, so just by going through the symptoms you might not know which one you are suffering from. One of the main differences is that anxiety is highly treatable, while asthma is not. So if you think you might have asthma, you should go see a doctor if you havent done so yet..
Recommended Reading: What Are The Key Diagnostic Differences Between Copd And Asthma
Why Have I Suddenly Developed Asthma
This is a great question. You should visit a doctor to diagnose your condition. It might be asthma. Asthma happens when airways in the lungs become narrower, making it harder to breathe. This can happen whenever you breathe in, or just sometimes. When you have asthma, the lining of the airways become inflamed. This is called bronchial asthma. Asthma also happens when your airways are allergic to something, like pollen, dust and pet dander. This is called allergic asthma. If you have asthma, you will have symptoms, like feeling short of breath, coughing and wheezing. Doctors can diagnose asthma by asking you questions about your symptoms and your health history. Some tests can also help. Asthma medicines work better when you know what causes your symptoms. To learn about the best treatment for you, visit a doctor. He or she can help you to manage your asthma..
Risk Factors For Adult
Both asthma and COPD are acknowledged as complex diseases related to both genetic and environmental risk factors, but environment seems to play the stronger role. Although asthma has a high heritability, genetic studies to date have been able to explain only a small proportion of the variability. The evidence for a genetic etiology of adult-onset asthma is even less convincing, with neither family history nor atopy being clearly linked to this phenotype. Homozygous -1-antitrypsin deficiency is the most common genetic risk factor for COPD, and the odds are also increased among heterozygous alpha-1-antitrypsin deficient smokers. Very recently, an interaction has been demonstrated between the PiMZ genotype and occupational exposures to vapors, gas, dust, and fumes, on annual decline in lung function.
A growing body of evidence suggests that early life and childhood factors are important in both adult-onset asthma and COPD., This concept is based on data that show associations between various adverse perinatal outcomes and harmful environmental stimuli, with slowing of lung function growth for susceptible children and adolescents. This effectively reduces peak lung function and impacts on the corresponding trajectory of lung function decline in adulthood. Such prenatal and postnatal factors include intrauterine growth restriction, prematurity, second-hand smoke exposure, air pollution, recurrent respiratory infections, and personal smoking.
Don’t Miss: What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of An Asthma Attack
Symptoms Like Coughing Wheezing And Feeling Breathless Could Mean You Have Asthma See Your Gp To Confirm A Diagnosis Of Asthma And Start Treatment
Find out why its important to get a diagnosis so you can start treatment for asthma, how asthma is diagnosed, and how you can take positive steps to stay symptom free after a diagnosis.
- tightness in the chest
- feeling short of breath.
Not everyone with asthma will get all of these. For example, not everyone wheezes. But if youre experiencing one or more of these symptoms, make an appointment with your GP.
Most people with well-managed asthma only have symptoms now and then. But some people have symptoms a lot of the time, particularly the small percentage of people with severe asthma.
A key thing with asthma is that symptoms come and go you may not have them all the time.
Why its important to see your GP to confirm a diagnosis
If youve noticed asthma-like symptoms, dont ignore them. Make an appointment with your GP or an asthma nurse as soon as you can.
The quicker you get diagnosed, the quicker you can get the right medicines to help you deal with your symptoms.
Asthma is a long-term condition that needs regular preventer treatment. If its not treated, it could lead to an asthma attack which can be life-threatening.
Can Asthma Be Triggered By Stress
Yes, asthma can be triggered by stress. Asthma is an inflammatory disorder and stress is also an inflammatory condition. Inflammation is the key in triggering asthma. Stress is one of the most common triggers of asthma attacks. Stress makes your airways to constrict, which in turn makes it difficult to breathe. The severity of asthma attack is directly related to the degree of stress. In order to prevent asthma attacks, one must avoid stress as much as possible..
Don’t Miss: Does Asthma Cause Mucus In Chest
How Is Asthma Different When Youre Older
You may notice new challenges with your asthma as you get older. For example:
- Symptoms may feel harder to control
- It can take longer to recover from an asthma attack or get over colds and flu
- Side effects from asthma medicines can be more noticeable
- Other conditions alongside asthma are more common.
Some of these challenges are to do with natural ageing. As we get older, our lungs are less strong, and our immune system can take longer to fight off infection.
The good news is, there are plenty of ways to manage these changes, with your GPs support, says Dr Andy Whittamore, Asthma UKs in-house GP. And positive things you can do to keep your body and mind healthy in later life.
Diagnosed with asthma later in life?
Asthma diagnosed later in life is known as late-onset asthma. This kind of asthma is more common in women, often starting around the menopause.
Symptoms sometimes start after a viral infection. Some people may have needed steroid tablets or an inhaler for chest symptoms a while before they were given a diagnosis, says Dr Andy.
Late-onset asthma is often harder to control with the usual asthma medicines. Your GP will need to consider add on treatments, like LTRAs , or long acting bronchodilators, for extra support.
Its not uncommon for late-onset asthma to go undiagnosed or to be misdiagnosed as another condition, like a chest infection or heart disease, says Dr Andy.
Childhood asthma come back?
How Can You Test For Asthma At Home
There is no 100% accurate way to get a diagnosis for asthma. A doctor will check your medical history and may perform an exam and a few tests. However, these tests can be expensive and inconvenient. As a result, its always a good idea to know how to check for asthma at home. You can then get the doctor to confirm the diagnosis. If you think you have asthma, the first thing you should do is to see your doctor..
Recommended Reading: What To Do When Asthma Attack At Night
What Are The Symptoms Of Asthma In Adults
Asthma is a condition that causes inflammation in the airways, making it difficult to breathe. It is triggered by allergies, infections, and/or exercise. Asthma is not just a kid thing. Frequent wheezing, labored breathing, and chest tightness are the symptoms of asthma, but they are not always the same in every adult. When asthma symptoms are not treated, or are left untreated, they could cause serious issues over time. Therefore, its important to know what the symptoms of asthma in adults are, as well as the symptoms of asthma in children..
What Causes People To Develop It Later In Life
There are many different causes of asthma, but if you develop it later in life this is known as adult-onset or late-onset asthma.
Asthma UK details the factors which could increase the risk of developing it as an adult.
these include being exposed to certain substances at work can cause it, and this is known as occupational asthma.
Work-related, or occupational asthma, can include things such as chemicals found in spray paint, flour or grain dust, animals, wood dust, latex or substances found in fumes.
According to the NHS, people who work in industries such as paint sprayers, bakers, pastry makers, nurses, chemical workers, animal handlers, timber workers, welders and food processing workers have a higher risk of being exposed to these substances.
Don’t Miss: Does Black Coffee Help With Asthma
What Are The 3 Types Of Asthma
Spasmodic and acute asthma are a little different than chronic asthma. Spasmodic asthma is basically where you have a sudden spasmodic attack, it may last a few hours or a few days. Your asthma symptoms are suddenly worse than they have been and it may not be related to something in the air that you are allergic to. Acute asthma is where you have an asthma attack which can be sudden, but in most cases lasts anywhere from a few hours to several days. It is usually caused by an allergen such as a cold, flu or other viral illness. It might also be caused by food or medications. Chronic asthma refers to your asthma symptoms which do not go away. Some people who have chronic asthma may have asthma symptoms most of the time, others may have asthma attacks, which may be seasonal, in response to an allergen, or other trigger..
Create An Asthma Action Plan
The American Lung Association recommends creating an asthma action plan to outline what type of medication you should take and when. It should also provide details about what to do if your asthma is dangerously out of control. These instructions will help you, friends, and relatives know when its time to change treatments or seek emergency care.
To make this plan:
- Discuss treatment options with your doctor.
- Plan what you should do in the event of an asthma flare-up.
- List what triggers can be avoided and the best ways to avoid them.
- Define at what point you need to increase treatment measures to prevent or reduce the severity of an attack.
Recommended Reading: Can You Get Asthma Inhalers For Free
Am I Experiencing Adult Onset Asthma
Up to 25 million Americans have asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While most people develop the condition in childhood, adult-onset asthma is also possible.
In fact, asthma symptoms can develop at any age and stage of life. Some people who have asthma as children age out of flare-ups as they get older, while others first experience the condition well into adulthood.
Would you recognize the symptoms of adult-onset asthma if you were to experience them?
The Need For Understanding
Despite of thousands of studies, the major problem to progress with diagnosis and therapy of asthma seems to be the lack of understanding how different cell types and pro-inflammatory, as well as inflammatory mechanisms affect each other. It would be a big step forward if future studies would be able to monitor a small cohort of patients from the first diagnosis of asthma over several years with unchanged methods of analysis. These studies should obtain samples like blood, sputum, or bronchial fluids on a regular basis of short intervals , and compare the clinical parameters with metabolomic, proteomic, and transcriptomic analyse. The aim of such studies should be to determine if biomarkers and therapeutic targets for asthma vary with time, and condition, or if they are stable indicators for the disease. Only when we know if the biomarkers are stable or specific for a condition such as exacerbation or allergic response we will be able to use them as diagnostic tools.
Read Also: Is Asthma A Chronic Condition
Can Asthma Reappear In Adults After Disappearing Years Ago
Asthma is usually diagnosed in childhood. In many patients however, the symptoms will disappear or are significantly reduced after puberty. After age 20, symptoms may begin to reappear.
Researchers have tracked this tendency for reappearing asthma and found that people with childhood asthma tend to experience reappearing symptoms through their 30s and 40s at various levels of severity.
Regardless of whether your asthma is active, you should continue to avoid your known triggers and keep your rescue medications or prescriptions up-to-date and handy in case you need them.
Risk Factors Triggers And Co
The role of genetic predisposition in adult-onset asthma is less clear than in atopic childhood-onset asthma. In adult-onset asthma, a family history of asthma is often lacking and atopy is not more common than in the general population. One study in a Chinese Han population found an association between genetic variants in chromosome 17q21 and adult-onset asthma, similar to that observed in childhood asthma . Although this study was flawed by the possibility of recall bias in self-reported age of asthma onset, it may point towards similar mechanisms in childhood- and adult-onset asthma, including exposure to environmental triggers such as environmental pollution or infection.
It is difficult to know exactly whether a condition is causally related or just a comorbid condition or a trigger factor. For example, obesity is a comorbid condition but is also a trigger factor for new asthma onset . In the literature, several exogenous and endogenous trigger factors have been associated with the development of asthma in adulthood which will be discussed in the following sections.
Recommended Reading: Why Does Alcohol Trigger Asthma
What Are The Differences Between Childhood And Adult
Children with allergies may not experience asthma from exposure to allergens when theyre younger. Yet over time, their bodies can change and react differently. This can lead to adult-onset asthma.
Childhood asthma and adult-onset asthma have the same symptoms, and both have similar treatments. However, each comes with different challenges.
Aspirin And Paracetamol Intake
Among individuals with existing asthma, aspirin can acutely precipitate bronchospasm in the subset of patients with aspirin-intolerant asthma. In contrast, long-term intake of 100 mg aspirin has been shown to reduce the relative risk of a newly reported diagnosis of asthma in healthy females . Thus, in individuals without asthma, aspirin might reduce the risk of developing asthma via cyclo-oxygenase -dependent and COX-independent pathways.
On the contrary, the use of paracetamol represents a putative risk factor for the development of asthma . Glutathione depletion in the airways and increased oxidative stress may be the mechanism underlying the link between paracetamol use and asthma development.
Read Also: How To Diagnose Childhood Asthma