Asthma Research Paper

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airway that impacts a person’s and their family’s quality of life. In people with asthma, their airway becomes constricted with swelling and excessive mucous. This constriction or narrowing of the airway makes it difficult for the person with asthma to breath (Massachusetts Department of Public Health, 2009). If asthma is left uncontrolled, it leads to further wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, tiredness, and stress. (Massachusetts Department of Public Health, 2009).

"Asthma is a pulmonary disease with the following characteristics: 1) airway obstruction that is reversible in most patients either spontaneously or with treatment; 2) airway inflammation; and 3) increased airway responsiveness to a variety of stimuli" (Enright, 1996, p. 375). There presently exist many varieties of asthma that differ in the severity, means of induction, and methods of treatment. One type is exercise-induced asthma. "Exercise-induced asthma (EIA) is a temporary increase in airway resistance and acute narrowing of the airway that occurs after several minutes of strenuous exercise, usually after the exercise had ceased" (Spector, 1993, p. 571). Perfectly healthy individuals with no

To better understand the impact of asthma, a brief overview of the causes (aetiology) and disease progression (pathophysiology) must be shown. As common as asthma is, not much is known about its aetiology, according to findings presented by Subbaroa, Mandhane and Sears (2009, pg. 181-187) in a review from the Canadian

Asthma is a respiratory disease that many people deal with every single day. “According to World Health Organization, approximately 180,000 people die from asthma each year.” (Jardins and Burton 187) Most people never think of asthma as a life threatening disease, but it can be crucial. As the number of people with asthma increases, the more likely you are to come in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with this disease. Asthma is a severe breathing problem that has many complications that is dealt with daily like shortness of breath, chronic cough, tightness of the chest and shortness of breath, my main focus is childhood asthma, allergic asthma, and medication to treat asthma.

Asthma is a chronic condition affecting the respiratory system and has a considerable impact on both individuals and a population. Everybody is susceptible to asthma, some more than others, depending of a variety of factors including, age, sex, geographical location and income. Asthma is particularly prevalent in younger children and the elderly and while it can be fatal, most people have mild cases of asthma that are relatively easy to treat. The condition mainly impacts an individual’s physical ability to contribute to a community.

Breathing is a vital process for every human. Normal breathing is practically effortless for most people, but those with asthma face a great challenge. During an asthma attack, breathing is hampered, making it difficult or even impossible for air to flow through the lungs. Asthma is an increasingly common problem, and has become the most common chronic childhood disease. At least 17 million Americans suffer from it(1), and although it can be fatal, it is usually not that severe(4). There is no cure for asthma, but with proper care, it can usually be controlled.

In addition, asthma affects the smooth muscle walls and glands of the bronchioles, due to narrowing of the bronchial passageway, this results in a build-up of mucus in the bronchial tubes leading to difficulty breathing (Rizzo 2016, p.423). Airflow in the alveoli becomes limited due to inflammation causing bronchoconstriction, as the inflammatory process begins mast cells degranulate and release inflammatory mediators (Kaufman 2012, pp.589-590). ‘The inflammatory process results in vascular congestion, production of thick mucus, bronchial muscle spasm and thickening of the airway walls’ resulting in Jessica becoming short of breath and coughing (Kaufman 2012, pp.589-590). Typically, this reaction occurs 30 to 60 minutes after being exposed to the triggering allergen or irritant (Kaufman 2012, pp.589-590). Asthma can be triggered by a range of different factors including exercise, infection, exposure to allergens or airborne substances such as dust, fumes or pollen (Rizzo 2016, p.843). However, some asthma attacks may be worse than others, this is because a severe asthma attack can completely narrow and close the airway (Lew 2011, pp.43-45). This can result in oxygen not getting to vital organs such as the heart or brain and can result in

One of the main type of these medications are short acting beta2-agonists. These medications relax the muscles that line the airways that carry air to the lungs. These medications start to work within 5 minutes of administration but only last for 3-6 hours. Quick relief medications are used in conjunction with controller medications. They are available in multiple forms but the inhaled form is preferred. Inhaled medications dilate bronchial tubes better, cause fewer side effects and act faster with a longer duration than oral forms. Research has shown that using the short-acting beta2 agonists with Ipratropium during severe episodes result in better outcomes or the asthmatic. These medications are often overused causing a reduction in the effectiveness of them. These not only can be used for acute exacerbations but are used prophylactically before exercise. Examples of these are Albuterol, Levabuterol. Metaproterenol, and Terbutaline. Ipratropium is an Anticholinergic that causes bronchodilation and is often used in conjunction with beta2-agonists when they alone are ineffective in treating acute asthma exacerbations. This medication provides competitive inhibition of muscarinic cholinergic receptors which helps to open the airway on the cellular level. It reduces intrinsic vagal tones of the airway and it may help to decrease mucus gland secretions. Corticosteroids, even though they take longer to

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that affects approximately 22 million people in the United States. Six million of those people are children, making it the most common chronic disease of children (“What is Asthma” and National 1). Asthma may be associated with morbidity, mortality, and diminished quality of life. Asthma is considered a long-term disease because there is currently no cure (Young). Further defining this disorder will be achieved by explaining the disease and symptoms, addressing how it is acquired, ways physicians diagnose it, and elaborating on treatments.

This paper discusses bronchial asthma, a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways that involves a complex interaction of airflow obstruction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and an underlying inflammation. The paper begins with background information on the condition, followed by describing its mechanisms and breaking down its major components. It will also discuss the signs, symptoms, and diagnosis and treatment options for asthma. Throughout the paper, key concepts and terms associated with the disease are defined.

Asthma is the most common childhood condition in Australia (Better Health Channel, 2015). The National Institute of Health [NIH] (2014), describes asthma is a chronic long-term lung disease that causes a person’s airways to swell and become very sensitive. The airways are tubes that carry air into and out of a person’s lungs. When theses airways react to certain stimuli, the muscles around them tighten, narrowing the airways and causing less air to flow to the lungs. When this occurs, cells in the airways can also make more mucus than usual, which causes a sticky, thick liquid to be excreted and further narrows the swollen airways. This process is all caused when the person inhales certain substances that aggravate the sensitive airways.

In the mid-summer of 2000, I was "Twin B" born at 38 weeks. When I was a-week old, I developed a high temperature fever. After changing my formula four times, my parents found out that I was allergic to milk proteins. A few weeks later, I developed a cough that literally took my breath away, and I would cough so much that my face would turn blue. Doctors had given me several types of nebulizer treatments in order to deliver a water vapor medicine into my lungs, which did not work. Then, I lost my voice due to vocal-cord paralysis, which tied ends to a whooping cough. As a result, I was hospitalized for more than a month. When I came home, I still had no voice to cry like a normal baby. Thus began my condition of asthma, evidently inherited

If triggers can be identified and eliminated or exposure can be reduced, the child’s symptoms will arise less often and their overall quality of life will improve. Another huge teaching point for parents and patients is recognizing the signs and symptoms of an asthma attack. There are specific signs and symptoms associated with asthma, if patients and family can recognize and effectively respond to these, there is a better chance of controlling the asthma and reducing the risk for complications. A third priority patient education topic is how to use spirometers and inhalers. Asthma requires devices to measure the airflow and the medications must be properly administered to facilitate the effectiveness of

Asthma is a disease that affects the respiratory system; it is marked by spasms in the bronchi of the lungs causing difficulty in breathing. Checking medical history is a way to diagnostically check for asthma. A patient with a recurrent cough, who wheezes, has shortness of breath and/or chest tightness could be a victim of asthma. Symptoms that occur variable with asthma upon exposure to allergens or irritants, worsen at night and/or also respond to appropriate asthma therapies are suggestive of asthma. A positive family history of asthma, atopic disease or an allergy to rhinitis can be helpful in identifying a patient with asthma. During the history check, providers often ask patients about their living environment

Asthma is a disease that affects over 25 million people in the United States, including 7 million children. Asthma affects the lower airways and is characterized by bronchial hyperresponsiviness and decreased airflow. People suffer from asthma attacks, which cause the lungs to become swollen and inflamed thus making it difficult to breath. These attacks range in severity from mild, moderate or severe. Symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing and chest pain. These symptoms can affect people on a daily basis or on occasion (Zanni, 2013).