Medical Guides

Asthma
Asthma is an ancient Greek word meaning ‘panting or short-drawn breath’. Asthma is a disease of the airways in which the airways get inflamed and thickened. Inflammation makes the airways prone to narrow too much and too easily. When airway narrowing occurs breathing becomes difficult. Asthma affects over 11-15 million people in India.
Risk factors for development of asthma

Domestic Mites
Domestic mites are the most common indoor allergen associated with asthma. In house dust, mites and mite feces constitute the main source of dust-derived allergens.

Tobacco Smoking
Tobacco burning produces a large and complex mixture of gases, vapors, and particulate matter. More than 4,500 compounds and contaminants have been identified in tobacco smoke. Smoking can be either:

Passive Smoking:
Passive smoking means inhalation of side stream smoke by the persons around the smoker. Side stream smoke is hotter and is more toxic than the smoke inhaled by the tobacco user.

o Active Smoking: Active smoking is associated with accelerated decline of lung function in people with asthma, greater asthma severity, and poor response to asthma treatment.

Air Pollution
Air pollution is defined as the atmospheric accumulation of irritants to such a degree that they become injurious to humans, animals, or plants. Both outdoor and indoor irritants contribute to air pollution.

Outdoor Pollutants
These can trigger broncho constriction, transiently increase airway responsiveness, and enhance allergic responses.
o Indoor Pollutants. Kitchen is the main sources of indoor pollutant. Furnishings with foam, glues, fireboard, pressed board, plywood, particle board, paints, etc., can also be sources of indoor pollution.

Respiratory Infections
Common cold viruses are the principal triggers of wheezing in older children and adults with asthma. In such cases asthma symptoms can last for weeks even if the infection subsides. Therefore anti-inflammatory treatment should be continued for few weeks to ensure adequate control of asthma.

Diet
Diet is not an important causative factor in the development of asthma.

Drugs
Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) which are used to reduce pain and inflammation may cause asthma exacerbations but these drugs do not cause the development of asthma.