Asthma: What You Should Know

Bronchial Asthma In Children. Diagnosis And The Principles Of Treatment

Bronchial asthma is an allergic disease, which is based on chronic inflammation in the respiratory tract and bronchi’s hyperactivity to the impact of various incentives. The disease is characterized by recurrent episodes of bronchial obstruction, partially or completely reversible, accompanied by fits of coughing, wheezing and by tightness in chest.

The increase in prevalence of asthma in all age groups is considered to be due to the following factors:
•    The impact of air pollutants inside homes, due to the peculiarities of modern building materials and recycling of air (nitrogen dioxide, cigarette smoke, etc.) and an increase of different allergens (dust mites, cockroaches, fungi, and animal hair).
•    The incidence of acute respiratory viral infection in early childhood.
•    The syndrome of respiratory disorders, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, etc.
•    Smoking in the family; smoking while pregnancy or nursing pregnant affects the lungs of the protembryo or infant.

The development of bronchial asthma in children is due to genetic predisposition and the environmental factors. There are three main groups of factors that contribute to the development of the disease:
•    Predisposing factors (genetic burden to allergic diseases, atopy, and bronchial hyperactivity).
•    Etiological agents/sensitizing factors (allergens, viral infections, drugs).
•    Aggravation factors (or so-called triggers) that promote inflammation in bronchi and/or provoke the development of acute bronchoconstriction (allergens, viral and bacterial infections, cold air, cigarette smoke, emotional stress, physical stress, weather conditions, etc.). continue reading »

Bronchial Asthma Presentation. First Aid

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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