What is asthma (bronchial asthma)?

Bronchial asthma is a pathology of the airways. The disease is characterized by sudden onset of shortness of breath when there is a trigger. The triggers of asthma vary according to each patient, usually those are irritants such as odor, animal hair, insects, physical activity .

We cannot completely treat asthma, but the current treatment is to control asthma with the two main goals of reducing the number of relapses and preventing severe cases from being hospitalized. Patients with long-term asthma often know the symptoms of warning of an upcoming asthma attack such as coughing, sneezing, tiredness . and they completely prevent the progression of severe disease when timely use of drugs to relieve seizures. fast use. People with asthma can completely live and function like normal people if the disease is monitored and treated properly.

What is asthma?

To understand asthma (also known as bronchial asthma) , you first need to visualize the principle of the respiratory tract. The tubular air passage helps to bring air in and out of your lungs. People with asthma will suffer from respiratory infections. The inflammation causes the airways to swell, become very sensitive, and tend to react strongly to some inhaled substances.

Asthma is a disease characterized by sudden onset of shortness of breath when there is a trigger.

When the airways are irritated, the surrounding breathing muscles tighten. This narrows the air passages, preventing air from entering the lungs. The edema may also get worse, making the airways even narrower. Cells in the airways can produce more mucus than normal. Mucus is a thick, sticky substance that can make the airways narrower.

This chain of reactions can cause symptoms of bronchial asthma. Symptoms may occur every time the airway is inflamed.

Asthma is divided into 5 common types, including:

1. Asthma due to physical activity;
2. Asthma at night;
3. Occupational asthma;
4. Asthma cough alone;
5. Allergic asthma

According to the World Health Organization (WTO), asthma is one of the most common non-communicable diseases. This is a chronic disease in the airways of the lungs causing inflammation and narrowing of the airways. Currently about 235 million people worldwide are suffering from asthma. Asthma is a common disease in children.

Asthma has a relatively low mortality rate compared to other chronic illnesses, but most asthma-related deaths often occur in low- and middle-income countries, including Vietnam. Medications do not cure the disease but can help control the disease.

Symptoms and signs of asthma

Common signs and symptoms include:

1. Asthma attacks are more common at night or early in the morning, making it difficult to fall asleep;
2. Wheezing : whistling or high-pitched sound when you breathe;
3. Heavy chest : may be described as something tightening or pinching your chest;
4. Shortness of breath : some people with asthma say they cannot breathe or they feel out of breath. They feel unable to push air out of their lungs.

If you experience these symptoms, it does not mean you have asthma. The best way to accurately diagnose asthma is to do a lung function test, a medical history (including the type and severity of symptoms) and a physical exam.

If you have the signs and symptoms mentioned above, or have any questions or concerns, consult your doctor. The condition and the condition can vary in many people. Always discuss with your doctor what is the best diagnosis, treatment and treatment method for you.

Researchers think that an interaction between a number of genetic and environmental factors triggers asthma.

Causes of asthma (bronchial asthma)

The exact cause of bronchial asthma is not known. The researchers suggest that the interaction between a number of genetic and environmental factors that cause asthma, most often affects early in life. These factors include:

1. Allergies related to genetics;
2. Parents with asthma;
3. Acquired a number of respiratory infections during childhood;
4. Inhalation of some allergens in the air or exposure to parasitic infectious diseases in childhood or early life when the immune system is developing.

If bronchial asthma or allergies are present in your family, exposure to stimulants (such as cigarette smoke) can make your airways react more strongly than airborne substances. An asthma attack can occur when you are exposed to 'asthma triggers'. The triggers you encounter may be different from people with other asthma. The active substances may be:

1. Allergens caused by dust, animal hair, mold, pollen from plants, grass and flowers;
2. Stimulants such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, chemicals or dust in the workplace, compounds found in home decor products and sprays (such as hairspray);
3. Medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and non-selective beta blockers;
4. Sulfite in food and drinking water;
5. Upper respiratory infections such as colds;
6. Physical activities, including exercise.

Who is at risk for asthma (bronchial asthma)?

According to WHO, asthma is a common medical condition in children. In fact, asthma affects people of all ages but it usually starts when you are young if you:

1. Wheezing and experiencing respiratory infections (highest risk);
2. Allergies, eczema (skin allergies);
3. There are parents with bronchial asthma.

Among children with asthma, the rate of boys is more often than girls. But in adults there is a reversal, more women with asthma than men. At present, there is no clear evidence as to how sex and sex hormones play a role in causing asthma.

Some people exposed to certain stimulant chemicals or industrial dust at work will be at higher risk for asthma. This type of asthma is called occupational asthma.

Diagnosis and treatment of asthma

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a physician.

Your doctor will make a diagnosis of asthma based on many factors.

The first is history and family history, and the doctor will ask if anyone in your family has ever had asthma and allergies. Your doctor may also ask you if you have asthma symptoms as well as when and how often they occur. Tell your doctor if your symptoms appear only during certain times of the year or only in certain places, or if symptoms get worse at night. Your doctor may also ask you about any related health condition that could potentially affect the management of your illness.

In addition, your doctor can do a physical exam by listening to your breath and looking for signs of asthma or allergies.

In addition, your doctor will check your lung function using a test called a spirometry to check how your lungs are doing. This test measures the maximum air flow you can breathe in and out.

Other tests may include:

1. Allergy test to detect allergens affecting you, if any.
2. Testing to measure your airway sensitivity. It is called a bronchodilator test. In combination with a spirometry test, this test measures your lung function several times during physical exertion, cold tolerance or special chemicals inhalation.
3. Testing shows whether you have another medical condition that has the same symptoms as asthma, such as reflux disease, vocal cord dysfunction or sleep apnea.
4. A straight chest x-ray or an ECG (ECG) test. These tests will help answer the question of whether external factors or other internal medical conditions are causing your symptoms.

Asthma is a chronic condition with no cure. The goal of asthma treatment is to control the disease. Good asthma control will:

1. Preventing chronic symptoms, such as coughing and difficulty breathing;
2. Reducing the need for reliever medications (see below);
3. Help you maintain good lung function;
4. Help you maintain normal levels of activity and good sleep throughout the night;
5. Preventing asthma attacks that require emergency admission or hospitalization

To successfully treat asthma, you should:

1. Follow your asthma treatment regimen;
2. Avoid things that can make your asthma worse;
3. Take the medicine as directed;
4. Disease monitoring;
5. Record your symptoms;
6. Use a peak flow meter;
7. Re-examination periodically.

Asthma is treated with two drugs: long-term control medication and quick-acting medication (reliever medication).

For long-term controller medication, most people with asthma need to take long-term control medication every day to help prevent symptoms. The most effective effect of long-term medicine is to help reduce respiratory infections, prevent symptoms right from the onset. These medications include: inhaled corticosteroids, Cromolyn, Omalizumab (anti-IgE). If you have severe asthma, you may need to take corticosteroid pills in pill or liquid form for a short time to control the condition.

For quick-acting medication, all people with asthma need to take quick-acting medicine to help minimize symptoms that may flare up. A fast-acting beta2 agonist group (Albuterol, pirbuterol, levalbuterol or bitolterol) is the first choice. Other medications include ipratropium (an anticholinergic agent), prednisone, prednisolone (oral steroids). You should take a quick-acting medication when you first develop symptoms of asthma. If you use this medicine more than 2 days a week, consult your doctor to control your asthma. You may need to change your asthma treatment plan.

Most people with asthma, including children, can safely control symptoms by following asthma treatments. However, there are times when you need to seek medical attention.

Consult a doctor if:

1. Your medication does not relieve symptoms of an asthma attack;
2. Your peak flow is less than 50% of the predicted value.

Call Emergency Center 115 for emergency care if:

1. You have trouble breathing when walking and even talking;
2. Your lips or nails are pale.

What are the possible complications of asthma (bronchial asthma)?

Uncontrolled asthma can adversely affect the quality of your life. This situation can lead to:

1. Tired;
2. Work less or quit;
3. Psychological problems include stress, anxiety and depression;
4. If you feel that asthma is seriously affecting your quality of life, contact your doctor right away. Your asthma treatment plan may need to be reviewed for better control of this condition.

In rare cases, asthma can lead to a number of serious respiratory complications, including:

1. Pneumonia (infection of the lungs);
2. Partial or total collapse of the lung;
3. Respiratory depression, blood oxygen concentration to alarmingly low levels or dangerously high carbon dioxide concentration;
4. Malignant asthma (severe asthma attack not responding to treatment).

All of the above complications are life-threatening, requiring appropriate treatment.

Successful treatment for asthma requires proactive care for your health and follow up on treatment plans.

Lifestyle and living habits to prevent asthma

If you have asthma, you will need long-term care. Successful treatment for asthma requires proactive care for your health and follow up on treatment plans. This plan will help you know when and how to take your medication, and help you identify triggers for asthma and manage your situation if your asthma symptoms get worse.

To control asthma, you should work with your doctor to manage your or your child's condition. Children 10 years and older (or younger children) should receive health education and take an active interest in their condition. It is important to take an active role in managing asthma with actions such as:

1. Working with your doctor to treat other medical conditions that can affect your asthma control;
2. Avoid the things that make your asthma worse (asthma triggers). However, you should ensure that you remain physically active. Physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Consult with your doctor about medications that can help you stay active;
3. Work with doctors and other health care providers to develop and implement a asthma treatment plan;
4. Learn how to use your medicine exactly;
5. Recording your asthma symptoms is one way to keep track of the disease progress, help keep your illness under control;
6. The flu vaccine is recommended every year.

With the introduction of many new drugs, asthma strategies and guidelines are updated every year to improve asthma control. With new research and advancements in medicine, your asthma has a much greater chance of being under steady control with a combination of both reliever and preventive medications. In addition to the role of a physician and medicine, your role in managing the disease is also important.

You should avoid triggers for asthma (if known), stop smoking because smoking can lead to irreversible chronic respiratory infections, exercise and regular use of drugs prescribed by your doctor. . Proactively recording the symptoms and the number of withdrawal medications for a week or a month is needed to inform your doctor about your level of stability.

If the disease recurs many times a week or in a month, you need to be on treatment ladder. Some asthma cases in young children go away on their own as adults.

Parents do not worry too much, but take the time to learn more about prevention and management of diseases for children. For older children, educating them about the causes of asthma attacks and symptoms such as wheezing, difficulty breathing, coughing when the onset of asthma starts, and the use of a reliever inhaler are essential. hyperactivity and when an asthma attack occurs you may not be with your child.

Hopefully the information we provide above helps you and your loved ones to be less worried and more confident in your asthma treatment.