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Hypertension & more ::
what is asthma
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What is Asthma all about?
It is chronic, meaning that it tends to last for a while and occurs repeatedly. There are various asthma types of differing severities. The patient will experience breathing difficulties which is the result of the airways -- the bronchi and bronchioles in the lungs -- narrowing Generally speaking, except for infants, asthma tends to affect every age group. It can develop at any age, although it is common for the condition to start in childhood. Among children, boys are more affected than girls. However, it affects adults of both sexes equally. The patient experiences wheezing and breathlessness, which are the main symptoms. There is also usually a chough that may become worse at night. The seriousness of the attack is determined by the extent to which the bronchi narrow. During severe asthma attacks, breathing may become shallow and rapid, with a heightened pulse rate. The person's lips and skin may turn bluish and he or she may be unable to speak. This condition is called cyanosis. If the person doesn't respond to standard medication, the attack is classified as an emergency situation. Death is a possibility, if the condition deteriorates rapidly. Repeated attacks within a short timeframe or a single prolonged attack is another serious situation. It's called "Status Asthmaticus" and can exhaust a person leading to death. Fortunately, asthma usually responds well to medication. There are different types of medication available and they work well to reduce asthma attacks. That said, prevention is always better than cure and is the key to managing this illness. Since the attack is triggered by specific allergens, preventing attacks can mean avoiding that substance or trigger. The challenge is that there is a whole range of substances that can cause the attack, so the right ones need to be correctly identified. Secondly, since many of these substances are very common in our living environment, avoiding them altogether may be very difficult. Examples of asthma triggers include pet hair, pollen, dust mites and many, many others. Two of the common kinds of drugs used in asthma treatment are bronchodilators (that dilate or expand the airways thus ensuring airflow to the lungs) and anti-inflammatory drugs (which are generally inhaled). In fact, inhalation is the most common means of delivering drugs for asthma management, and it's a very effective method. What is asthma
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