01. What is asthma?
When it comes to asthma, people often have a fixed impression: they will have a sudden attack when they are exposed to pollen, climate change, strenuous exercise or even crying and laughing, and they usually feel chest tightness and shortness of breath and difficulty breathing at the onset of the disease.
Asthma is currently one of the most common chronic diseases in the world, and its population is very large, with about 300 million asthma patients worldwide and about 45.7 million patients in the mainland, and the number of patients is still growing. At present, the diagnosis and control rate of asthma in mainland China is not satisfactory, with a prevalence rate of 4.2% in people aged 20 and above, but the situation of patients receiving treatment is worrying, and only 5.6% of patients have received regular treatment.
Although the fatality rate of asthma is low, we can still see news of deaths due to asthma exacerbations. Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to have an accurate understanding of asthma and standardize the treatment and management of asthma.
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways.
The airways respond too strongly or prematurely to various stimuli, resulting in significant bronchial stenosis, in which the airway is hyperresponsive and manifests as recurrent episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and/or cough.
Asthma often flares up at night and early in the morning, and most patients resolve on their own or with treatment. Airflow limitation due to asthma is reversible, but if airway inflammation recurs over a long period of time and is repaired, the result may be tissue proliferation and remodeling.
Since the etiology of asthma is not well understood, the pathogenesis of each person may be different, so asthma also has different clinical phenotypes.
02. What conditions can induce asthma?
In fact, there are many factors that can trigger asthma, such as:
(1) Allergens: especially dust mites, smoke, pollen, seafood, animal dander, etc.
(2) Climate: such as cold, dry, weather changes, air pollution.
(3) Diet: For example, eating meat, eggs, and milk causes allergies, and eating too sweet and salty irritating foods can induce the occurrence of asthma.
(4) Exercise: Strenuous exercise can sometimes lead to asthma attacks.
03. How to tell if you have asthma?
1. Symptom-based: Frequent coughing and uncomfortable symptoms such as dyspnea and shortness of breath when inhaling irritating gases.
2. Pay attention to family history: If you have an asthma in your family, this person may be more susceptible to asthma.
3. Asthma and allergic rhinitis are related: Patients with allergic rhinitis need to suspect asthma if they have recurrent coughing, especially at night and chest tightness.
04. What should I do if I have asthma?
1. Drug treatment: The drug treatment of asthma mainly includes control drugs and relieving drugs during acute attacks. Control drugs, such as inhaled corticosteroids, are used for long-term control. Symptoms may be relieved with short-acting B2-agonists.
2. Proper use of inhalers: The use of inhalers is one of the commonly used treatments for asthma patients. Patients should use the inhaler correctly and use the appropriate medication as directed by the doctor.
3. Individualized treatment plan: The treatment of asthma should be individualized according to the patient's condition and symptoms, including the type and dosage of drugs.
4. Emergency treatment: When the asthma attack is severe, patients may need emergency treatment, including oxygen, short-acting B2-receptor agonists and anti-inflammatory drugs.