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Senior Living

2008-02-01 11:16:00

Asthma and adults

Is Asthma a condition that affects adults?

Answer:Thousands of Americans, both children and adults, die from asthma attacks. Every one of these tragedies is unnecessary and avoidable. Asthma is characterized by swollen airway passages and the production of large amounts of thick mucous. (Although there are many other names for this condition, they are simply names for asthma). Asthma attacks aggravate the already vulnerable airway and can completely close it. This is incompatible with life. Emergency drug administration can usually open the air passages, but sometimes, when the process goes too far, such efforts fail. Any person who suffers from asthma should have a physician directing their care with a medication/lifestyle program. Medication routines fall into 3 categories: • Those that are taken daily, which allow a normal level of activity, including athletics, and uninterrupted sleep. • Those that are inhaled during an unexpected episode of shortness of breath. (No more than 2 times per week). • Those that are taken for a few weeks when signs of an asthma flare-up have occurred. Lifestyle issues are: • General wellness (good diet, minimizing exposure to infection). • Clean house, clean doorknobs, tables, countertops. • Avoiding dusty environments. • Avoiding pollen exposure—or treating during pollen exposure. • Identifying and avoiding triggers: - Mold - Animal dander - Roach and dust mite debris - Any allergen The primary lifestyle challenge is determination of triggers for each individual client. These, then, can be avoided or treated. • If a beloved animal is a trigger he can be bathed frequently or shaved. • If pollen is a problem, special meds may be taken in that season. • If grass (or other common plants) are triggers, allergy shots may be taken. • Bedding should be allergenic and frequently washed. When the asthmatic person: • recognizes and avoids triggers that precipitate signs of illness, • takes their maintenance medications as ordered, • follows a healthy general lifestyle, • discusses symptoms/concerns with their doctor, • steps up their program at the first symptoms; they virtually eliminate the incidence of critical episodes. How wonderful to know that breathlessness need never occur! Here’s a little asthma trivia It is common to use inhaled quick reliever medication for sudden shortness of breath. An asthmatic person should never be without it. • There are 2 things in that tiny canister: airway medicine and the propellant that causes passage into the lungs. • There is more propellant in the canister than there is medicine. • If you don’t keep track of your usage you are inhaling propellant only, for the last 10-20 uses. That’s a bad thing! • The spacer, which may be separately purchased for use with inhaled meds, is not a frill. It increases the amount of medicine actually received during administration. Failure to rinse with water, after use of inhaled steroids, puts the user at risk for a fungal mouth infection. This is an absolutely necessary step. Powdered medications that are inhaled should never be kept in the bathroom. The humidity there causes the powder to cake and decreases effectiveness of administration. This information is part of a nationally recognized Asthma education program. The aim of this program is to call asthma what it is, teach asthmatic persons how to handle it, and thereby eradicate death dealing asthma attacks. And that’s a good thing.