Treatment Of Asthma Attacks

One should not underestimate the seriousness of attacks; severe asthma attacks could pose a threat to life.

The group of patients with high risk of mortality because of asthma includes the patients who:

  • Use or have recently stopped taking corticosteroids systematically;
  • Have been hospitalized or receive emergency medical care during the past year, or undergone intubation;
  • Have psychosocial problems in the past medical history or deny the presence of asthma or its severity;
  • Do not comply with doctors’ recommendations for the treatment of asthma.

Asthma attacks require immediate treatment.

Ø It is obligatory to take adequate dose of b2–agonists of short-period drug action. The application of beta-agonists is adopted to be the means of first aid in the exacerbation of asthma worldwide.

Ø Use of corticosteroids (tablets or syrup) at the outset of an attack has a moderate anti-inflammatory effect and contributes to the rapid normalization of the patient’s status.

Ø In case of hypoxia the patients are provided with oxygen in clinics and hospitals.

Ø It is not recommended to take theophyllins or aminophyllines simultaneously with inhalation b2–agonists of high-dose, as long as an additional therapeutic effect wouldn’t get its development, but would increase the risk of drug side effects. However theophyllins can be used if the inhalation beta2-agonists are not available. In case the asthmatic takes the theophyllin daily, he should measure its concentration in the serum before adding the theophyllin of short-period drug action.

Ø Epinephrine may be instituted for treatment of acute anaphylaxis and vascular edema.

Heavy attacks, rarely moderate attacks, require hospital admission.

Mild asthma attacks can be cured domiciliary, if the patient is prepared and has the treatment plan for asthma medication, including step-by-step approach of curing.

The physicians have made the list of drugs and therapies, which are not recommended as the asthma attacks curing means. They are as follows:

• Sedatives (should be strictly avoided);

• Mucolytics (may only stimulate coughing);

• Magnesium Sulfate;

• Physiotherapy of chest (may increase the discomfort to the patient);

• Hydratation therapy for adults and children above the age of 12 years old (still may be necessary for young infants and under 12-year old children);

• Antibiotics (are instituted for patients down with pneumonia or sinusitis, but have no therapeutic action if taken as asthma attack drugs).

Description

The article discloses the issues of the instituted in-patient and ambulant medication of asthma attacks. There are certain medicaments prescribed in case of acute severe asthma, which are also mentioned in the article. It would also be useful to keep it in mind what medicines and other curing means should better be avoided while asthma treatment.