Asthma is a common nondestructive lung disease that has its greatest effect on children and adults. It requires considerable medical attention and acute episodes may be severe enough to require emergency treatment. Asthma is difficult breathing due to spasm of bronchioles. It is characterized by episodic attacks characterized by forced inhalation and exhalation due to bronchospasm and excess mucous. The patient appears short of breath, produces wheezing sounds, and may be frightened. Although there is not much difference between adult asthma and child asthma, a major difference is that symptoms in child asthma may come and go, but symptoms in adult asthma may be continuous. People with adult asthma require taking medication every day to manage
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Repeated attacks result in hypertrophy of the smooth muscle, which can exaggerate bronchoconstriction and increase the severity of each subsequent attack. Bacterial or viral infections may precipitate asthmatic attacks. In many cases, a specific allergen or irritant cannot be identified; therefore, prevention and treatment are directed at reducing the reactivity of the bronchial muscles and mucous glands. Respiratory tract infections, such as the common cold, typically trigger non-allergic types of asthma. Cold, stress, and exercise may also trigger an asthmatic attack.
Moreover, fatigue is a major problem in an acute asthma attack. The increased work of breathing leads to increased oxygen consumption until a point is reached at which the individual begins to tire and is no longer able to hyperventilate enough to meet the increased oxygen demand. A large amount of yellow or green sputum is produced by the bronchial mucosa in an asthma attack. It tends to be thick and obstructive due to its volume and the associated bronchoconstriction and dehydration. Inflammation is responsible for mucosal edema, which may be due to infection, a common precipitator of the …show more content…
Results of skin tests are usually positive for specific allergens, indicating the probability that extrinsic asthma is allergic. A major allergen is the mite found in house dust. Seasonal asthma suggests pollen allergies. It is common for the person who “outgrows” asthma in childhood to develop other allergic manifestations in adulthood. Usually, the asthmatic attacks decrease in severity and frequency as the person matures. However the more severe the childhood asthma, the less likely it is to concern in adulthood. Attacks are related to specific antigens and are immunoglobulin E (IgE).
With extrinsic asthma, the pathophysiology of asthma attacks is related to the release of chemical mediators in an IgE-mast cell interaction. This results in constriction of the bronchial smooth muscle, increased bronchial secretion from the goblet cells, and mucosal swelling, which lead to significant narrowing of the air passages. It is basically an IgE immune reaction that the allergen evokes immediate production of histamine and other chemicals by the target organ, which is the
Repeated attacks result in hypertrophy of the smooth muscle, which can exaggerate bronchoconstriction and increase the severity of each subsequent attack. Bacterial or viral infections may precipitate asthmatic attacks. In many cases, a specific allergen or irritant cannot be identified; therefore, prevention and treatment are directed at reducing the reactivity of the bronchial muscles and mucous glands. Respiratory tract infections, such as the common cold, typically trigger non-allergic types of asthma. Cold, stress, and exercise may also trigger an asthmatic attack.
Moreover, fatigue is a major problem in an acute asthma attack. The increased work of breathing leads to increased oxygen consumption until a point is reached at which the individual begins to tire and is no longer able to hyperventilate enough to meet the increased oxygen demand. A large amount of yellow or green sputum is produced by the bronchial mucosa in an asthma attack. It tends to be thick and obstructive due to its volume and the associated bronchoconstriction and dehydration. Inflammation is responsible for mucosal edema, which may be due to infection, a common precipitator of the …show more content…
Results of skin tests are usually positive for specific allergens, indicating the probability that extrinsic asthma is allergic. A major allergen is the mite found in house dust. Seasonal asthma suggests pollen allergies. It is common for the person who “outgrows” asthma in childhood to develop other allergic manifestations in adulthood. Usually, the asthmatic attacks decrease in severity and frequency as the person matures. However the more severe the childhood asthma, the less likely it is to concern in adulthood. Attacks are related to specific antigens and are immunoglobulin E (IgE).
With extrinsic asthma, the pathophysiology of asthma attacks is related to the release of chemical mediators in an IgE-mast cell interaction. This results in constriction of the bronchial smooth muscle, increased bronchial secretion from the goblet cells, and mucosal swelling, which lead to significant narrowing of the air passages. It is basically an IgE immune reaction that the allergen evokes immediate production of histamine and other chemicals by the target organ, which is the