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When Does An Asthma Attack Occur

Control Of Polymeric Mucin Production

How does asthma work? – Christopher E. Gaw

The induction of Muc5ac in allergically inflamed mice is dependent upon two important signaling pathways: the IL-13/IL-4 receptor-α complex and the epidermal growth factor receptor . The functional dominance of these signaling pathways, however, does not translate into a simple intracellular pathway for Muc5ac gene activation. The principal signaling molecule activated by IL-13 is signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 . STAT6 signaling in mouse airway Clara cells is necessary and sufficient for Muc5ac induction and airway hyperreactivity in response to IL-13 . STAT6 binds to a canonical motif, 5â²-TTCN4GAA-3â², but this motif is not present in the conserved promoter regions of any mammalian MUC5AC orthologs . One indirect mechanism that may explain IL-13-mediated Muc5ac promoter activation is STAT6-dependent downregulation of forkhead box a2 . Foxa2 is a critical negative regulator of Muc5ac expression, and genetic deletion of Foxa2 in mice leads to constitutive Muc5ac overproduction resembling mucous metaplasia .

Transcriptional control of Muc5ac production gr2

How Is Asthma Treated

Take your medicine exactly as your doctor tells you and stay away from things that can trigger an attack to control your asthma.

Everyone with asthma does not take the same medicine.

You can breathe in some medicines and take other medicines as a pill. Asthma medicines come in two typesquick-relief and long-term control. Quick-relief medicines control the symptoms of an asthma attack. If you need to use your quick-relief medicines more and more, visit your doctor to see if you need a different medicine. Long-term control medicines help you have fewer and milder attacks, but they dont help you while you are having an asthma attack.

Asthma medicines can have side effects, but most side effects are mild and soon go away. Ask your doctor about the side effects of your medicines.

Remember you can control your asthma. With your doctors help, make your own asthma action plan. Decide who should have a copy of your plan and where he or she should keep it. Take your long-term control medicine even when you dont have symptoms.

What Types Of Asthma Are There

Healthcare providers identify asthma as intermittent or persistent . Persistent asthma can be mild, moderate or severe. Healthcare providers base asthma severity on how often you have attacks. They also consider how well you can do things during an attack.

Asthma can be:

  • Allergic: Some peoples allergies can cause an asthma attack. Molds, pollens and other allergens can cause an attack.
  • Non-allergic: Outside factors can cause asthma to flare up. Exercise, stress, illness and weather may cause a flare.

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Why Strong Asthma Attacks Occur Early In The Morning

It is known that there are changes at night in the functioning of organs and systems that could contribute to the appearance of bronchospasms.

First of all, this phenomenon is due to the reduced production of hormones and also the type of nervous system of the individual. Typically, these changes can reach their maximum at 4 am to 6 am. There is such regularity: the worse a person feels during the day, the more pronounced will be the seizures of bronchial asthma in the early morning hours.

If preventative measures are ineffective and suffering from suffocation continues, keep calm, sit or get upright and use your inhaler. It is essential that at this point not to panic, do not take indiscriminately different medications, observe dosages and correct inhalation techniques, or otherwise, you will not achieve the desired result.

For patients suffering from frequent shortness of breath, it is advisable to leave a thermos with a hot drink at their bedside to drink some warm tea or water. If asthma attacks occur in the early morning hours and are repeated regularly, you should consult your doctor. Consider also that allergens may cause bronchial asthma attacks at night. In the presence of such allergens, seizures can occur late at night between 1 am, and 3 am.

Pooh and feathers contain a large number of mites a major allergen in house dust. These ticks are not visible to the naked eye, but they are at places where dust is accumulated.

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Asthma

Three weeks ago, as her asthma symptoms flared, Communication and McCormick senior Gillian Finnegan sat in class struggling to suppress a cough. She couldn’t focus on taking her exam. All she could think about was whether the students staring at her thought she had COVID-19.

The Daily Northwestern

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Care Advice For Asthma Attack

  • What You Should Know About Asthma:
  • Over 10% of children have asthma.
  • Your child’s asthma can flare up at any time.
  • When you are away from your home, always take your child’s medicines with you.
  • The sooner you start treatment, the faster your child will feel better.
  • Here is some care advice that should help.
  • Asthma Quick-Relief Medicine:
  • Your child’s quick-relief medicine is albuterol or xopenex.
  • Start it at the first sign of any wheezing, shortness of breath or hard coughing.
  • Give by inhaler with a spacer or use a neb machine.
  • Repeat it every 4 hours if your child is having any asthma symptoms.
  • Never give it more often than 4 hours without talking with your child’s doctor.
  • Coughing. The best “cough med” for a child with asthma is always the asthma medicine. Caution: don’t use cough suppressants. If over 6 years old, cough drops may help a tickly cough.
  • Caution: if the inhaler hasn’t been used in over 7 days, prime it. Test spray it twice into the air before using it for treatment. Also, do this if it is new.
  • Use the medicine until your child has not wheezed or coughed for 48 hours.
  • Spacer. Always use inhalers with a spacer. It will get twice the amount of medicine into the lungs.
  • Asthma Controller Medicine:
  • Your child may have been told to use a controller drug. An example is an inhaled steroid.
  • It’s for preventing attacks and must be used daily.
  • During asthma attacks, keep giving this medicine to your child as ordered.
  • Allergy Medicine for Hay Fever:
  • Fluids – Offer More:
  • What Is An Asthma Attack

    An asthma attack occurs when the muscles surrounding the airways tighten and your airways become too narrow for you to breathe effectively.

    An attack can happen suddenly if your asthma is not under control and you are exposed to one of your triggers. Or it can build up slowly, over hours, days or even weeks.

    It is important to learn to recognize the symptoms of worsening asthma and know what to do if you have an asthma attack.

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    What Causes An Asthma Attack

    An asthma attack can happen when you are exposed to asthma triggers. Your asthma triggers can be very different from someone elses asthma triggers. Know your triggers and learn how to avoid them. Watch out for an attack when you cant avoid your triggers. Some of the most common triggers are tobacco smoke, dust mites, outdoor air pollution, cockroach allergen, pets, mold, smoke from burning wood or grass, and infections like flu.

    Asthma Attack A Guide To First Aid And Emergency Care For Asthma

    What happens during an asthma attack

    Asthma can be an emergency. A sudden or severe asthma flare-up is sometimes called an asthma attack.

    An asthma flare-up is a worsening of asthma symptoms and lung function compared to what you would usually experience day to day. An asthma flare-up can come on slowly, over hours, days or even weeks, or very quickly, over minutes.

    If you or someone you care for are experiencing any of these signs, start asthma first aid.

    Do not wait until asthma is severe.

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    After An Asthma Attack

    You should see a GP or asthma nurse within 48 hours of leaving hospital, or ideally on the same day if you did not need hospital treatment.

    About 1 in 6 people treated in hospital for an asthma attack need hospital care again within 2 weeks, so it’s important to discuss how you can reduce your risk of future attacks.

    Talk to a doctor or nurse about any changes that may need to be made to manage your condition safely.

    For example, the dose of your treatment may need to be adjusted or you may need to be shown how to use your inhaler correctly.

    Research For Your Health

    The NHLBI is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health the Nations biomedical research agency that makes important scientific discovery to improve health and save lives. We are committed to advancing science and translating discoveries into clinical practice to promote the prevention and treatment of heart, lung, blood, and sleep disorders, including asthma. Learn about the current and future NHLBI efforts to improve health through research and scientific discovery.

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    Signs You Actually Have Severe Asthma

    Breathing is just one of those things you take for granted until it feels like every inhale or exhale is a struggle. Unfortunately, people with severe asthma have to deal with breathing issues way more often than anyone should, and it can be completely terrifying.

    Asthma is a respiratory condition that affects the airways that extend from your nose and mouth to your lungs, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute . When youre exposed to triggers like animal fur, pollen, mold, exercise, and respiratory infections, these airways can narrow, restricting your airflow. This can then make the muscles surrounding your airways constrict, making it even harder to breathe, and cause your airways to produce more mucus than normal, further compounding the problem. All together, this can lead to asthma symptoms like shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing , and chest tightness or pain, according to the NHLBI.

    Like most health conditions, asthma severity runs along a spectrum, Emily Pennington, M.D., a pulmonologist at the Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF. Some people have cases where they experience minor symptoms here and there . Others can have asthma that is basically an ever-present problem and might result in scary asthma attacks, which is when symptoms ramp up in severity and can even become life-threatening.

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    What Will Happen To Asthma Post

    How Cold Weather Can Increase Your Asthma Symptoms

    Were used to tolerating a certain level of many infectious diseases in the community, particularly things like common colds, strep throat, even glandular fever and the flu.

    For many of us, this is no big deal and the only effects are feeling not great for a few days or weeks of the year.

    But for many others, these sorts of common infectious illnesses can be deadly. Think about someone with cystic fibrosis, which severely damages the lungs and digestive system. If they get a cold or the flu, it can seriously knock them around, or even kill them. Same with someone who takes medications to depress their immune system, for example people with rheumatoid arthritis.

    These infections result in many hospitalisations, which puts pressure on the whole hospital system.

    From COVID, we know there are simple measures we can take to substantially reduce the transmission of these seemingly benign diseases, including wearing masks, not going to work or socialising when youre sick, and washing/sanitising your hands regularly.

    Weve reached the milestone of having more than 80% of Australians over 16 fully vaccinated against COVID, and international travel is resuming. Returning travellers are likely to bring with them new flu strains that were totally unprepared for.

    Usually flu vaccines for Australia are designed to tackle strains from the Northern Hemisphere winter so were prepared for when the new strain arrives in our winter.

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    What Are The Signs Of A Severe Asthma Attack

    Asthma may lead to a medical emergency.

    Rescue inhalers can help you: otc inhalers

    Seek medical help immediately for:

    • Fast breathing with chest retractions
    • Cyanosis which is tissue color changes on mucus membranes and fingertips or nail beds â the color appears grayish or whitish on darker skin tones and bluish on lighter skin tones
    • Rapid movement of nostrils
    • Ribs or stomach moving in and out deeply and rapidly
    • Expanded chest that does not deflate when you exhale
    • Infants with asthma who fail to respond to or recognize parents

    You Asked: Why Is My Asthma Worse At Night

    Suddenly, your chest tightens, and your breathing starts to resemble wheezing. Asthma attacks can be a startling experience, especially if they happen while you are asleep or nearly asleep. Genny Carrillo, MD, ScD, associate professor at the Texas A& M School of Public Health, director of the Program on Asthma Research and Education, discusses how nighttime asthma attacks can be avoided.

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    When To See A Doctor

    At the moment, theres no cure for asthma. However, there are many effective treatments that can decrease asthma symptoms. Lifestyle changes and medications can also help improve your quality of life.

    If you havent been diagnosed with asthma but are experiencing symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath, you should let your doctor know. You can connect to a physician in your area using the Healthline FindCare tool.

    Once youre diagnosed with asthma, you should see your doctor at least once a year or more frequently if you have persistent symptoms after using treatments.

    • feel weak
    • cant perform daily activities
    • have a wheeze or cough that wont go away

    Its important to educate yourself about your condition and its symptoms. The more you know, the more proactive you can be in improving your lung function and how you feel.

    Talk with your doctor about:

    • your type of asthma
    • what daily treatments are best for you
    • your treatment plan for an asthma attack

    Are There Special Considerations In Treating Asthma In Older Adults

    What Happens During an Asthma Attack?

    Yes. First of all, treatment of asthma for older adults can be complicated by the fact that so many older people take multiple medications for various health conditions. Some asthma medications can react with those other treatments, causing unpleasant side effects. In addition, other medications may actually worsen asthma symptoms.

    Secondly, older patients are more likely than younger patients to have mental confusion or memory problems. This may be the result of normal aging or of an illness, such as Alzheimers disease. Whatever the cause, these problems can make it difficult for certain older patients to follow treatment instructions especially if that person takes medications for a variety of health conditions.

    Additionally, many asthma medications come in the form of an L-shaped metered dose inhaler which requires a certain degree of manual coordination and dexterity. Older people are more likely to have difficulty with this type of medication device, and in using it, may not receive the correct dose. Treatment with a dry powder inhaler or oral medications can help older asthma patients avoid problems with use of L-shaped inhalers.

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    Asthma Symptoms May Lead To Fatigue

    Response from Lyn Harper, MPA, BSRT, RRT:

    Yes! A person may be fatigued from the strain caused by labored breathing and shortness of breath. Quite simply, being unable to catch your breath is exhausting! However, you may also experience fatigue from lack of sleep due to other asthma symptoms coughing, anxiety, and shortness of breath. Fatigue is also a symptom of oxygen levels in the blood being low, which can happen when were experiencing an exacerbation of symptoms.2

    Response from John Bottrell, RRT:

    Asthma affects every asthmatic differently. For some of us, feeling tired is an early warning symptom. When you feel it, you know itâs time to take swift actions to prevent a full-fledged asthma attack. This is true even when you have controlled asthma.

    Fatigue may be more common when asthma is poorly controlled. In such cases, asthma can affect your sleep. And, just feeling short of breath can make you feel tired, even exhausted. So, itâs always a good idea to pay attention to what your body is saying earlier rather than later.2

    The earlier you take action the easier it is to reverse this and other symptoms, so you can feel normal once again. Itâs also a good idea to work with your doctor to develop a daily treatment regimen so you donât feel this symptom very often. Plus, itâs also a good idea to work with your doctor on developing a plan so you know what to do when you feel this and other asthma symptoms.

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    Side Effects Of Relievers And Preventers

    Relievers are a safe and effective medicine, and have few side effects as long as they are not used too much. The main side effects include a mild shaking of the hands , headaches and muscle cramps. These usually only happen with high doses of reliever inhaler and usually only last for a few minutes.

    Preventers are very safe at usual doses, although they can cause a range of side effects at high doses, especially with long-term use.

    The main side effect of preventer inhalers is a fungal infection of the mouth or throat . You may also develop a hoarse voice and sore throat.

    Using a spacer can help prevent these side effects, as can rinsing your mouth or cleaning your teeth after using your preventer inhaler.

    Your doctor or nurse will discuss with you the need to balance control of your asthma with the risk of side effects, and how to keep side effects to a minimum.

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    How Much Will I Take

    Prednisone is available as an oral tablet or oral liquid solution in the United States. While similar, prednisone isnt the same as methylprednisolone, which is available as an injectable solution as well as an oral tablet. Typically, oral prednisone is used as a first-line therapy for acute asthma because its both easier to take and less expensive.

    The average length of prescription for corticosteroids such as prednisone is 5 to 10 days. In adults, a typical dosage rarely exceeds 80 mg. The more common maximum dose is 60 mg. Dosages greater than 50 to 100 mg per day arent shown to be more beneficial for relief.

    If you miss a dose of prednisone, you should take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If its almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the next regularly scheduled dose.

    You should never take an extra dose to make up for a dose that youve missed. In order to prevent an upset stomach, its best to take prednisone with food or milk.

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