What is Asthma?
5.1million people in the U.K. suffer from chronic asthma,
that amounts to about one in every seven people. Asthma is known as a COPD (chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease). It is a
chronic, inflammatory disorder, which leads to the spontaneous narrowing of the
airways. Attacks occur due to an
allergic reaction, which lead to spasms of the smooth muscle in the bronchial
walls (in the lungs). This constriction
leads to the partial or full closing of the airways, and thus the inability to
breathe normally.
The body’s
autonomic nervous system (ANS) provides a natural mechanism to control the
diameter of the airways in the lungs, these are overridden in an attack. The ANS is divided into the parasympathetic
and sympathetic nervous systems. The
sympathetic system promotes a ‘fight or flight’ response, and the
parasympathetic leads to a ‘rest and digest’ response. Drugs used to treat asthma try to block the
parasympathetic response and activate the sympathetic response. This is because during sympathetic activity
(e.g. fighting or fleeing) the airways need to dilate (/open) in order to get
more oxygen into the lungs and around the body. Therefore, administering a drug, which activates the sympathetic
response, will counter the constricting effects of asthma on the airways.
See the diagram below for positioning of the bronchial
tubes in the lungs.
(taken without permission)
People who suffer from asthma are hypersensitive
to a variety of external stimuli that would usually not lead to bronchi
constriction.
Asthma is not
serious when kept under control, it can however lead to loss of lung function
if not treated.
In the early stages of an attack there is often
an excess secretion of mucus from the glands in the airways, which can
potentially clog the bronchi and bronchioles, thereby, worsening the
attack. In the later stages of an
attack inflammation continues, leading to further narrowing of the
airways.
Triggers:
These are commonly related to some kind
of allergic reaction, for example, to pollen or dust mites. Other common triggers include inhalation of
pollution, emotional upset, aspirin, exercise and breathing cold air.
Symptoms:
Periods of
coughing, tightness of chest, and wheezing.
During an attack the person has to work a lot harder
than normal in order to breathe effectively.
The classic tight chest symptoms are thus explained by this bronchi constriction
preventing complete inhalation into the lungs.
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