Asthma Overview

Asthma Video

HOST ON CAMERA:
Hello, and welcome to the Answered Patient. I’m Jane Hanson. In this episode, we’ll explore asthma. We’ll look at its symptoms, as well as the triggers that can cause an asthma attack. We’ll tell you how asthma is diagnosed, and who’s most likely to develop it. We’ll also give you effective strategies for keeping this chronic condition under control.

HOST NARRATION: Around the world, asthma is a growing problem, affecting as many as 300 million people. No one knows for sure what causes asthma. It can develop in anyone, and at any age. However, most people develop the disease in childhood, usually before the age of ten. In the United States, incidents of asthma in children have increased since the 1980’s, to about 6 million cases.

DR. WOLF:  Asthma is very common and, uh, in fact, frighteningly common.  The numbers depend on where you’re looking.

HOST ON CAMERA:
So, what exactly is asthma? Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the bronchial tubes, the passages which carry air into the lungs . This means that, even if they don’t notice it, asthmatics will always have some amount of airway swelling. 

HOST NARRATION: 
Indicators of asthma include coughing, tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, trouble falling asleep and difficulty exercising. These symptoms can often go on for long periods of time without ever being recognized as asthma. In fact, asthma is sometimes not even diagnosed in a person until the onset of an asthma attack. 

HOST ON CAMERA: During an asthma attack, the chronic inflammation of asthma becomes much more pronounced, making breathing noticeably difficult, and sometimes painful.

HOST NARRATION:
Asthma attacks occur because the already inflamed airways in the lungs are highly sensitive to irritants, and allergens  – or substances that cause allergic reactions. When those stimuli enter the bronchial tubes, the airways react by becoming even more swollen. In addition, the muscles surrounding the airways tighten…and excess mucus forms, creating blockages. These factors severely limit the amount of air that can pass into and out of the lungs. Wheezing is one of the telltale signs of an asthma attack. That’s actually the sound of air squeezing through narrowed passageways. Asthma sufferers describe an attack as feeling like trying to breathe rapidly through a narrow straw. Although asthma attacks are usually associated with wheezing and coughing, it’s important to know not everyone experiences the same symptoms. Asthma attacks range from mild to life threatening. Mild episodes may last only a few minutes, while more serious attacks can last hours, or even days.

HOST ON CAMERA: Fortunately, the symptoms of an attack can be reduced within minutes of onset through use of asthma medication. These drugs work by quickly opening airways, allowing more air to pass into and out of the lungs. 

HOST NARRATION:
There are many triggers that can bring on an asthma attack, including cigarette smoke, air pollution, exercise, cold air, stress, and viruses. But the majority of asthma attacks are caused by allergens. Some of the most common allergens are dust, pet dander, mold, and pollen. 

DR. MARC JACOBSON: It’s important that people avoid the allergens because it’s an inflammatory disease. All of these different triggers will cause inflammation.

HOST ON CAMERA: While medical experts have come a long way in understanding asthma, they still don’t know what causes it. Those with a family history of asthma  … and those with a personal, or family history of allergies, are most at risk for this chronic condition.

HOST NARRATION: 
A doctor can confirm a case of asthma by using what are known as pulmonary function tests, which measure airflow into and out of the lungs. Once diagnosed, allergy testing —such as a standard scratch test  —can help identify asthma triggers. Knowing what can cause an attack – and avoiding those triggers – is a key component of asthma care. So is working with a doctor to develop an overall treatment plan.

NATS: …and you’re gonna take a really big breath in and hold it.

HOST NARRATION: When asthma goes untreated, attacks can occur more frequently and with greater intensity. They sometimes require hospitalization, and in rare cases can lead to death.

DR. McGRATH: Asthma can be fatal. About eleven patients die, uh, per day in America from asthma.  About, uh, thirty-eight hundred per year are dying currently from asthma.  So, it can be quite fatal.  Even a patient with mild asthma can have a severe attack and die. 

HOST NARRATION:
There are a number of proven drugs that can treat the chronic airway inflammation of asthma …help prevent asthma attacks…and reduce the symptoms of attacks when they occur. With the right diagnosis, and a suitable treatment plan, asthma is a condition that can be effectively managed and controlled.

DR ALLEN LEFF: Asthma tends to set its own agenda and run its own clock.  With that said, it can be treated like any other chronic condition in more than 90 percent of the patients

HOST ON CAMERA:
In the other chapters of this episode, you can find out more about how asthma is diagnosed…learn the science of how it affects your lungs and airways…and discover the various treatment options available.

HOST NARRATION: And in our Personal Stories chapter, you’ll meet real doctors and patients who are living with asthma every day.