Asthma

I. Introduction
Asthma is an inflammatory disorder affecting the breathing passageways of people of all ages. There is a wide range of things that can trigger an asthma attack with many symptoms. Today, there are many tests that can help doctors target the exact problem in person with asthma and give the proper treatment to them (“Asthma,” 2010).

II. Symptoms
Asthma has many symptoms to help give the doctor an idea of the type and severity of case that person has. There are various symptoms for asthma with different levels of intensity during an asthma attack:
• Shortness of breath
• Chest tightness or pain
• Trouble sleeping due to coughing, shortness of breath or wheezing
• Wheezing- a whistle sound-common in children
The way a person can know that their asthma is getting worse is if their symptoms are increasing in frequency and intensity. Asthma symptoms flare up in particular situations based on the type a person may have.
• Exercise-induced asthma- This takes place during exercise and tends to become more of a hindrance in colder weather rather than warmer weather.
• Occupational asthma- This type of asthma is either caused or worsened by being in an environment with irritants like chemicals, gases or dust.
• Allergy-induced asthma- This type of asthma is triggered by particular allergies that they may have like dust, mold, or pets (“Asthma,” 2011).

III. Causes
The causes for asthma are a combination of triggers from the environment and genetic factors. The triggers to asthma attacks are different for every person. Some are the following:
• Airborne allergens (pollen, animal dander, mold, cockroaches and dust mites)
• Respiratory infections (common cold)
• Physical activity (EIA)
• Cold weather
• Air pollutants and irritants (smoke)
• Specific medications (beta blockers, aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
• Intense emotions and stress
• Food/ beverage preservatives (sulfites)
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)- stomach acids back up into your throat
• Females- menstrual cycle
• Food allergic reactions (peanuts or shellfish) (“Asthma,” 2011)
Genetic association studies have shown that over 100 genes are related to asthma. Since 2005, 25 genes have been related to asthma in six or more separate populations. Many of theses genes are associated with the immune system or modulating inflammation (“Asthma,” 2011).

IV. Tests and Diagnosis
It is very difficult to diagnose patients with asthma because of the range of severity compared to other illnesses. The only way for doctors to establish a valid diagnosis is to perform certain test for their patients to determine if they have asthma and, if so, the severity. Some tests are the following:
• Spirometry- measures the narrowing of your bronchial tubes
• Peak Flow- measure how hard you can breathe out and shows the efficiency of your lungs at that time.
• Methacholine challenge- inhaling a known asthma trigger and records your reaction-
• Nitric oxide test-measures how much nirtic oxide you have in your breath-higher level when airways are inflamed
Asthma can be classified by the following:

Asthma classification--Signs and symptoms
Mild intermittent--Mild symptoms up to two days a week and up to two nights a month
Mild persistent--Symptoms more than twice a week, but no more than once in a single day
Moderate persistent--Symptoms once a day and more than one night a week
Severe persistent--Symptoms throughout the day on most days and frequently at night


(“Asthma,” 2011)

V. Journal Review Article

Exercise-induced asthma occurs after exercise and is similar to asthma on a shorter time scale. The first response is bronchodilation and bronchoconstriction comes after. Within 3 and 15 minutes, maximal airway obstruction happens after exercise. Spontaneous recovery takes place over a variable period of time that can range from hours to minutes (Bierman, 2007).




List of References
• Asthma. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic/health/asthma/DS00021

• Asthma. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001196

• Asthma. (2011). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.ork/wiki/Asthma

• Bierman, Warren. (2007, October 9). Exercise-Indused Asthma. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1442-200X.1987.tb00361.x/abstract