Anti-Allergic/Asthma

Definition of Allergic Asthma

A disease process that is characterised by paradoxical narrowing of the lung passageways (bronchi) making breathing difficult. Treatment includes bronchodilators which are given orally or delivered as an inhaled aerosol. Corticosteroids are reserved for more difficult cases. Symptoms include wheezing, tightness in the chest and difficulty breathing (particularly exhaling air). Factors which can exacerbate asthma include rapid changes in temperature or humidity, upper respiratory infections, allergies, stress or smoke (cigarette), exercise.

Causes of Allergic Asthma

Asthma is caused by inflammation in the airways. When an asthma attack occurs, the muscles nearby the airways become tight and the lining of the air passages bloating. This reduces the amount of air that can pass by, and can lead to wheezing sounds. Some patients have long-term shortness of breath with episodes of increased shortness of breath. Most people with asthma have wheezing attacks separated by periods without symptoms. In others, a cough may be the main symptom. Asthma attacks can last minutes to days and can become dangerous if the airflow becomes severely restricted.

In sensitive individuals, asthma symptoms can be triggered by breathing in triggers (called allergens) - allergy-causing substances. Common asthma triggers include: dust, changes in weather (most often cold weather), animals (pet hair or dander), exercise, mold, chemicals in the air or in food, respiratory infections, pollen, such as the common cold, tobacco smoke, strong emotions (stress).

Symptoms of Allergic Asthma

Regular symptoms: pulling in of the skin between the ribs when breathing (intercostal retractions), cough with or without sputum (phlegm) production, shortness of breath that gets worse with activity or exercise, wheezing.

Emergency symptoms: bluish color to the lips and face, extreme difficulty breathing, decreased level of alertness such as severe drowsiness or confusion, during an asthma attack, severe anxiety due to shortness of breath, rapid pulse, sweating.

Additional symptoms that may be associated with allergic asthma: abnormal breathing pattern - breathing out takes more than twice as long as breathing in, chest pain, breathing temporarily stops, tightness in the chest, nasal flaring.

Exams and Tests of Allergic Asthma

Allergy testing may be helpful in identifying allergens in people with persistent asthma. Common allergens include cockroach allergens, pet dander, molds, dust mites, and pollens. Common respiratory irritants include pollution, tobacco smoke, fumes from burning gas or wood.

Lung sounds are usually normal between asthma episodes. The doctor will use a stethoscope to listen to the lungs. Asthma-related sounds may be heard.

Treatment of Allergic Asthma

The goal of treatment is to control airway inflammation and to avoid the substances that trigger your symptoms. Your doctor and You should work together as a team to develop and carry out a plan for monitoring symptoms and eliminating asthma triggers. There are two basic kinds of medication for the treatment of asthma: quick-relief medications for use during attacks and long-acting medications to prevent attacks.

Long-term control medications are used on a regular basis to prevent attacks, not to treat them. Such medicines include: leukotriene inhibitors (such as singulair and accolate), inhaled corticosteroids (such as azmacort, vanceril, aerobid, flovent) prevent inflammation, long-acting bronchodilators (such as serevent) help open airways, cromolyn sodium (intal) or nedocromil sodium (tilade), omilizumab (xolair), which blocks a pathway that the immune system uses to trigger asthma symptoms, sometimes a single medication that combines steroids and bronchodilators are used (advair, symbicort), aminophylline or theophylline (not used as frequently as in the past).

Quick relief, or rescue, medications are used to relieve symptoms during an attack. These include: corticosteroids, such as methylprednisolone, may be given directly into a vein (intravenously), during a severe attack, along with other inhaled medications, short-acting bronchodilators (inhalers), such as proventil, ventolin, xopenex, and others.

People with mild asthma (infrequent attacks) may use quick relief medication as needed. Those with persistent asthma should take control medications on a regular basis to prevent symptoms. A severe asthma attack requires a check up by a doctor and a hospital stay, medications through a vein (IV) and oxygen.

A peak flow meter is a simple device to measure how quickly you can move air out of your lungs. Peak flow measurements can help show when medication is needed, or other action needs to be taken. It can help you see if an attack is coming, sometimes even before any symptoms appear. Peak flow values of 51-79% of a specific person's best results are a sign of a moderate asthma attack, while values below 49% are a sign of a severe attack.