Archive for January, 2009

Bronchial Asthma Presentation. First Aid

January 9th, 2009 -- Posted in Burliness | Comments Off

Most often, bronchial asthma occurs against the background of respiratory diseases, bronchitis, and pneumonia. In all cases, the disease develops as a result of the body hypersensibility to allergens.

Attacks of suffocation may have their outset during inhalation of air polluted with smoke, the products of combustion, and other substances like paint, odors. Food substances (eggs, some vegetables and fruits) may also serve as allergens. Besides, there is an important factor of genetic burden to bronchial asthma. We mean here hereditary predisposition to asthma, not the inheritance of the disease.

Attack of asphyxia occurs during overexcitation of some parts of the involuntary nervous system, thus causing spasm of bronchial tubes and defluvium (mucus release). Most attacks start suddenly, at night. At this point the patient must be in sitting position. He is pale in the face, has a labored respiration, a frightened face covered with perspiration; cyanosis is noted.

Duration of the attack is from several minutes to some hours. The arresting of attacks is accompanied by thick, viscous sputum. Breathing is restored; the patient calms down and falls asleep.
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