Early Warning Signs Of Deteriorating Asthma

asthma symptoms

By Ashi Jas

The people who suffer with asthma generally exhibit a lot of different signs that are indicative of their having an attack. The other symptoms are also there to see like weight loss in children and elderly patients, loss of appetite, general feeling of exhaustion and lethargy, wheezing, frequent coughs and colds and many more such external symptoms.

Normally asthma is not considered to be very serious by the doctors perhaps because of the frequency with which the human population suffers with it. But the possibility that it can turn fatal also leaves us with no option but to identify the early warning signs so that they can be detected early and dealt with efficacy.

Like all other diseases an asthmatic attack also shows several signs before attacking a person in its full fury. The problem lies with the fact that these signs are so often confused with so many other diseases. It is important to understand them to reduce the impact of a full blown attack. Also if the attack has to be avoided altogether these early warning signs have to be taken seriously. All this is well understood by any reasonable person. Then why is it so that so many people fall prey to asthma and they do not even realize it in time?

The main reason attributed to this is that asthma is a disease that can attack anyone at any time. It is true that certain hereditary factors do play an important role in the manifestation of the disease but still many people fall prey to the disease without even having any known history of the disease. So understanding the fact that actually all the people in this world can be potentially at risk is the most important key factor here.

Once when someone knows that he has developed the disease certain precautions can make him lead a near normal life without many complications. The importance of proper treatment cannot be ruled out at all but with proper treatment and certain guidelines for a healthy lifestyle lot of control can be obtained over the frequency and severity of the attacks, most of the times asthma patients develop minor complications only which can be very easily managed with following the usual guidelines and treatments.

But when during the attacks a person starts to feel serious difficulty in breathing or he feels that the level of difficulty has risen while breathing he should immediately pay attention to the warning signs that the body is trying to offer. This is serious matter because many-a-times the patients tend to neglect this till they reach a stage where the attacks can no longer be controlled with normal medications and other precautions. Sometimes the attacks become so serious that the patient needs to be admitted in acute emergency care before they can be controlled. Sometimes admittance to the intensive care unit remains to the only option.

It is a well recognized fact that a human being cannot survive without oxygen for more than just a few minutes. If the difficulty in breathing and feeling of choking persist during an asthma attack for longer durations of time a person may even suffocate to death. Although the incidents of fatality are not very common, still the possibility cannot be ruled out. Each and every sufferer of asthma always has a dagger hanging over his head of this kind of thing happening to him. The good thing is that this is a condition that can be easily avoided if the mind remains open for identifying some early warning signs which go about indicating the worsening of the condition. These can be described as:

1. Cough or wheezing that does not respond to medications: This is a situation that needs serious attention. This is a sure sign of the asthmatic condition of the patient becoming serious. A persistent cough or wheezing may be resultant of excessive work related pressures or may be a resultant of some allergic reactions. But when the medications start to fail it should be taken as an early warning bell. Sometimes the wheezing is so much that the person has difficulty in speaking too.

2. Increased need for inhalers: When the frequency of use of inhalers is noticeably increased it is a sign of worsening of the situations. Some people get addicted to the inhalers and tend to use them more often without even serious difficulty. This situation therefore needs to be identified with discretion.

3. Constant wheezing during sleep: When there is constant noticeable wheezing during sleep it is indicative of worsening of the disease.

4. Persistent high fever or even low grade fever: When there is persistence of fever which either remains unresponsive to the medication or comes back after the effect of medication wears off, it may be an early warning sign of condition deteriorating.

5. Severe pain in the neck or chest: When after just a bit of exertion there seems to be pain in the neck and chest the condition should be reported and checked immediately.

6. Persistent vomiting: This may be because of many reasons but it should not go unchecked.

7. Cyanosis: This is indicative of blue colour of the lips and hands. It is mainly an indication of asthma becoming worse.

Source: EzineArticles.Com

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Allergy: Who is at risk and why?

allergy information

Allergies can develop at any age, possibly even in the womb. They commonly occur in children but may give rise to symptoms for the first time in adulthood. Asthma may persist in adults while nasal allergies tend to decline in old age.

Why, you may ask, are some people "sensitive" to certain allergens while most are not? Why do allergic persons produce more IgE than those who are non-allergic? The major distinguishing factor appears to be heredity. For some time, it has been known that allergic conditions tend to cluster in families. Your own risk of developing allergies is related to your parents' allergy history. If neither parent is allergic, the chance that you will have allergies is about 15%. If one parent is allergic, your risk increases to 30% and if both are allergic, your risk is greater than 60%.

Although you may inherit the tendency to develop allergies, you may never actually have symptoms. You also do not necessarily inherit the same allergies or the same diseases as your parents. It is unclear what determines which substances will trigger a reaction in an allergic person. Additionally, which diseases might develop or how severe the symptoms might be is unknown.

Another major piece of the allergy puzzle is the environment. It is clear that you must have a genetic tendency and be exposed to an allergen in order to develop an allergy. Additionally, the more intense and repetitive the exposure to an allergen and the earlier in life it occurs, the more likely it is that an allergy will develop.

There are other important influences that may conspire to cause allergic conditions. Some of these include smoking, pollution, infection, and hormones.

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Daily Precautions For Asthma Patients

asthma information

By Ashi Jas

Asthma is a chronic disease of the respiratory system and may turn even fatal at times. It is therefore important for the asthma patients to take proper care and precautions regularly. Asthma patients suffer from attacks that enforce the system to breathe with difficulty. Wheezing, choking, gasping for breath and suffocation are the symptoms of asthmatic attack.

The attacks may last up to several minutes and leave a person thoroughly exhausted. There can be severe organ damage due to problem in respiration during the asthma attack. Also the system may suffer from lack of oxygen for a longer duration of time. It is therefore imperative to exercise proper caution and avoid the onset of an attack to the extent possible.

Some easily followed precautions everyday may keep an asthmatic without suffering an attack. These precautions are:

1. An asthmatic needs to follow routines. This is because it is generally seen that people do not suffer the agony of an asthmatic attack if they continue to live their life in a regular way. The problem arises mainly when the people go out of their way and break all the routines. The system thus gets unnecessarily pressured and reacts badly by manifesting the symptoms of the disease in the oddest of ways and without many warning signs. Sometimes the body does give the warning signs but the person may ignore them completely.

2. Daily morning walk does wonders to the system. But in the case of asthma patients the benefit from early morning exercise is enhanced manifold. This is because the early morning is the time when the air is pure and at its best. Exercising the lungs with the early morning air does wonders to the asthmatic lungs and respiratory tract.

3. Daily morning exercise schedule needs to be followed religiously in case of an asthma patient. Not only does this help in exercising the whole system but it also makes a person live a more disciplined and regularised life. This is because if a person gets into the habit of getting up early, in all probability he would try and sleep early too and his routine will automatically be set and fixed.

4. The daily diet of an asthma patient should be kept simple and nutritious. He should take care of not eating heavy meals as they would tax the system unnecessarily. Care should be taken to keep the meals small and frequent if need be, rather than consuming standard heavy meals at set hours. Also the food should be cooked with less oil and spices to keep it easily digestible. The diet should be mainly vegetarian with less of fats and carbohydrates. Sweets should best be avoided at night time. Dinner should be consumed at least two hours before sleeping so that the stomach is almost empty before sleeping. Dietary intake of fruits and vegetables should be enhanced. Snacks should be mainly in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables only and fatty, oily and salty or sweet snacks should be avoided completely.

5. Asthma patients should avoid smoking completely. Smoking fills the system with many toxins and the respiratory system gets flooded with them. These toxins are major irritants to the respiratory tract and create an undue pressure on the system that may be too much for an asthmatic to handle. An asthmatic may get more bronchial spasms and is more likely to be affected with respiratory infections if he continues to smoke.

6. An asthmatic person should also not indulge in drinking too much. This is because drinking causes a person to lose sense and become more prone to breaking disciplines of routine and diets. An asthmatic may become careless with his diet and may tend to overeat to counteract the influence of alcohol if he indulges in drinking too much.

7. Asthma patient’s surroundings should be kept neat and tidy. As far as possible clutter should be completely avoided to steer clear of dust induced allergies that may create an attack. Clutter in the surroundings inhabits several mites and allergy causing organisms. It is therefore necessary that the furniture and other stuff should be arranged in such a way, which allows proper dusting and cleaning on a daily basis.

8. Asthma patients may have difficulty with the atmospheric pollution also. It is very important to assess whether the patient may be allergic to any particular kind of allergen present in the atmosphere around his place of dwelling or occupation. Sometimes certain professions support the excessive usage of one kind of toxin or the other, in which case a change in profession or occupational conditions may remain to be the only option.

9. Asthmatics should also be very careful of not getting mentally excited too much. This is because the mental aggravation may lead to appearance of asthmatic symptoms in patients. On a daily basis it is better not to accumulate taking decisions, whether in the personal life or in the professional life. The work should also be handled as far as possible on a daily basis to avoid excess stress and anxiety.

10. In order to manage asthma it is very necessary to accept the disease and the limitations attached with it in one’s daily life. If proper discipline is maintained a patient can have a long and problem free life.

Source: EzineArticles.Com

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Non-Allergic Asthma

Non-Allergic (intrinsic) asthma is triggered by factors not related to allergies. Like allergic asthma, non-allergic asthma is characterized by airway obstruction and inflammation that is at least partially reversible with medication, however symptoms in this type of asthma are NOT associated with an allergic reaction. Many of the symptoms of allergic and non-allergic asthma are the same (coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath or rapid breathing, and chest tightness), but non-allergic asthma is triggered by other factors such as anxiety, stress, exercise, cold air, dry air, hyperventilation, smoke, viruses or other irritants. In non-allergic asthma, the immune system is not involved in the reaction.

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Double trouble: The link between allergies and asthma

James T. Li, M.D.

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If you have both allergies and asthma, you may wonder what they have in common besides a maddening ability to make you miserable. A lot, as it turns out. Allergy-induced asthma is the most common type of asthma in the United States; 60% of people with asthma have the allergic type. James T. Li, M.D., a Mayo Clinic allergy specialist answers your questions about the similarities and the differences between allergies and asthma.

What's the link between allergies and asthma?

Simply put, allergies can trigger or induce asthma. For people with allergic asthma, breathing in substances such as pollen, mold, dust mites and animal dander triggers the inflammation and swelling of the airways, leading to symptoms of asthma.

The lining of the nose and the lining of the airways are similar and are affected similarly by the allergic inflammatory process. Allergies are caused by the production of an antibody called IgE. The IgE antibodies cause a cascade of reactions in the body, including itchy skin or scratchy eyes or, for some, tightening of the airways. Simply put, if your immune system produces IgE antibody toward cat proteins, you're said to be allergic to cats. Exposure to cats triggers inflammation and swelling of the lining of the nose, bronchial tubes or both.

If I treat my allergies, will it prevent asthma?

Some studies suggest that treatment of allergic rhinitis actually improves asthma. Allergen immunotherapy (desensitization allergy shots) is a type of allergy treatment that can significantly improve asthma. In addition, if you have allergic asthma, reducing your exposure to the allergic substance can reduce your asthma problems and in some cases, completely control it.

Are allergies and asthma treated differently?

Medications aimed at reducing inflammation are effective for allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, as well as nonallergic asthma. Corticosteroids for example, reduce inflammation. Intranasal corticosteroids, which you spray into your nose, reduce inflammation from hay fever. Corticosteroid creams applied to your skin reduce the inflammation of eczema. And inhaled corticosteroids, which you inhale into your lungs using an inhaler device, reduce inflammation of the bronchial tubes in asthma.

Another medication, called a leukotriene modifier, also is used to reduce inflammation. Leukotriene modifiers are taken in pill form and are used for both asthma and allergic rhinitis symptoms.

Other medications are clearly more effective for one condition over another. Antihistamines, for example, are commonly used to treat allergic rhinitis but have a very minor benefit for asthma. Bronchodilator inhalers, which open congested airways, are a big part of asthma treatment, though they aren't used to treat allergic rhinitis.

Who's at risk of allergic asthma?

A family history of allergies is the strongest risk factor having allergic asthma. If you have allergies, you're more likely to develop asthma — up to 78 percent of people who have asthma also have hay fever.

Is all asthma caused by allergies?

Though allergic asthma is the most common form of asthma, there are other forms and triggers of asthma, including exercise-induced asthma and nonallergic asthma triggered by infections or cold air or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Nothing to sneeze at

While it may be a manner of semantics to those who suffer from allergy or asthma symptoms, recognizing the relationship between the body's immune system and how the airways react has led to improved treatment of asthma symptoms for many people.

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Allergic Asthma

allergy asthma

Allergic (extrinsic) asthma is characterized by symptoms that are triggered by an allergic reaction. Allergic asthma is airway obstruction and inflammation that is partially reversible with medication. Allergic asthma is the most common form of asthma, affecting over 50% of the 20 million asthma sufferers. Many of the symptoms of allergic and non-allergic asthma are the same (coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath or rapid breathing, and chest tightness). However, allergic asthma is triggered by inhaled allergens such as dust mite allergen, pet dander, pollen, mold, etc. resulting in asthma symptoms.

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Typical symptoms and signs of asthma

asthma symptoms

The symptoms of asthma vary from person to person and in any individual from time to time. It is important to remember that many of these symptoms can be subtle and similar to those seen in other conditions. All of the symptoms mentioned below can be present in other respiratory, and sometimes, in heart conditions. This potential confusion makes identifying the settings in which the symptoms occur and diagnostic testing very important in recognizing this disorder.

The Four Major Recognized Symptoms:

• Shortness of breath - especially with exertion or at night
• Wheezing - a whistling or hissing sound when breathing out
• Coughing - may be chronic; usually worse at night and early morning; and may occur after exercise or when exposed to cold, dry air
• Chest tightness - may occur with or without the above symptoms

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Asthma At A Glance

about asthma

• Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the bronchial tubes (airways) that causes swelling and narrowing (constriction) of the airways. The bronchial narrowing is usually either totally or at least partially reversible with treatments.

• Asthma is now the most common chronic illness in children, affecting one in every 15.

• Asthma involves only the bronchial tubes and usually does not affect the air sacs or the lung tissue. The narrowing that occurs in asthma is caused by three major factors; inflammation, bronchospasm, and hyperreactivity.

• Allergy can play a role in some, but not all, asthma patients.

• Many factors can precipitate asthma attacks and are they are classified as either allergens or irritants.

• Symptoms of asthma include shortness of breath, wheezing, cough, and chest tightness.

• Asthma is usually diagnosed based on the presence of wheezing and confirmed with breathing tests.

• Chest x-rays are usually normal in asthma patients.

• Avoiding precipitating factors is important in the management of asthma.

• Medications can be used to reverse or prevent bronchospasm in patients with asthma.

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What is a peak flow meter?

A peak flow meter is a hand-held device that measures your peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), or how fast you can blow air out of your lungs. Measuring your peak flow regularly can help you tell whether your asthma is getting worse.

To use a peak flow meter, you will first need to find out your "personal best" peak flow. Take a deep breath and blow as hard as you can into the mouthpiece. Your personal best is the highest reading you get on the meter over a 2-week period when your asthma is under good control.




Source: American Academy of Family Physicians
Taken from: familydoctor.org

Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff

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Asthma: How can I avoid allergens and irritants?

asthma causes



If pollen and mold cause your symptoms, use your air-conditioner and try to keep the windows of your home and car closed. Change the filter on your heating and cooling system frequently.

To keep mold down, clean and air out bathrooms, kitchens and basements often. Keep the level of humidity under 50%. You can do this with an air conditioner or a dehumidifier.

People who are allergic to dust are actually allergic to the droppings of dust mites. To reduce dust mites in your home, wash bedsheets weekly in hot water (above 130°F). Cover mattresses and pillows in airtight covers and remove carpets and drapes. If you must have carpet, you can treat it with chemicals to help reduce dust mites. Try to avoid stuffed animals, dried flowers and other things that catch dust.

Pets can cause problems if you're allergic to them. If you have a pet, keep it out of your bedroom.

Don't allow smoking in your house or car. Tobacco smoke can make your asthma worse.


Source: American Academy of Family Physicians

Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff

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Adverse Reactions to Drugs

allergy reactions


Author: John Collard, Allergy UK Nurse Consultant - November 2006

There are a variety of ways in which people can experience adverse reactions to medications, whether prescribed or ‘over-the-counter’. Most of these effects are not ‘allergy’.

Increased effect of the drug

Some people are more affected by drugs than others; there is a large degree of individual variability. Some people excrete drugs more slowly than others, and levels of the drug may build up over time. This means that a dose of a drug that suits one person might be too much (or too little) for another.
There are unlikely to be toxic effects, as the doses prescribed take account of this variation and allow a wide margin of safety. However, it may be that a sedative that makes someone else sleep for a few hours, might make another person sleep for much longer. This would be an increased effect rather than an allergy or intolerance.

Side-effects

All medications have side-effects because of the way they work. The majority of people get none, or very few, but some people are more prone to them. The most common side-effects are usually nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea (or occasionally constipation), lethargy, rashes, itching, headaches and blurred vision. All the known side-effects from a drug are listed in the patient information. They are listed in order of frequency (most common will be first on the list).
If you suffer a rash and itching after taking a drug it can be hard to decide if this is a side-effect or an allergy. Morphine commonly causes itching but this is not an allergy and the drug can still be used. In children, many rashes experienced while taking antibiotics are thought to be due to the underlying viral illness.

Drug interactions

Many drugs interact in some way with others. Some interactions are so severe that the different drugs are never given together, but many are just ‘warnings’ – there may be some odd symptoms but not in most people. If you are taking more than one drug and experience odd symptoms, check whether an interaction could be to blame (ask your pharmacist or GP).

Contraindications

Some drugs are not supposed to be used in certain illnesses. This may be because they will not be eliminated properly, for example in people with kidney or liver disease; because they may cause problems for the foetus in a pregnant woman; or because they are known to cause side-effects in particular illnesses (for example, amoxicillin often cause a rash when given to someone with glandular fever, but not when used in other conditions).

Allergy

Some people are genuinely allergic to a drug, but this is quite uncommon. Most drug ‘reactions’ are due to the various mechanisms described above.

Some drugs, such as penicillin, some anaesthetics, vaccines and other injections used in, for example, X-ray techniques, are know to be more likely to cause allergic reactions. They are used more cautiously in allergic people. If you suffer a fairly severe adverse reaction to a drug, or a repeated reaction on different occasions, this will normally be considered to be an allergy. This should be recorded in your medical notes and you should not be given the drug again. In each group of drugs, there are some that are less likely to cause allergy problems.

If you suffer a reaction and are not sure what drugs you were given, ask your GP or hospital Doctor for the information (for hospital Doctors, contact their secretary). If you have any trouble getting the information, ask your local NHS PALS organisation to help (see the phone book or hospital / surgery noticeboards).

Blood tests are not usually very helpful in determining drug allergies. Most allergies are very specific – if you react to one antibiotic this does not mean you are more likely to react to other antibiotics, although you should not be given one of the same type. If you are concerned, ask for a small test dose of a new drug before you are given the normal amount. Some drugs such as anaesthetics and vaccines can be checked by skin testing.

If you are allergic to a drug, take responsibility for making sure everyone knows. Health services are still not very good at passing this sort of information on, or looking at it even when it is there. Ask whether the allergy has been recorded in your notes. Volunteer the information to everyone who is involved in your care, even if they don’t ask. Make sure you are given an allergy bracelet in hospital. If your allergy is severe, consider wearing your own allergy bracelet. If you are given drugs to take at home, read the label and contents carefully.

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Inhalent sensitivities - Part 2

allergens

Part 2

Animals
The allergic effect of dogs is due to their dander (material from the fur and skin); in cats the saliva is the problem. Birds’ feathers can cause problems directly, or due to mites living in the feathers. No allergic person should allow their pets access to the whole house, and especially not the bedroom. Restrict them to one area and keep it clean. Filter vacuum cleaners and good air filters will help keep the load down, as will regular washing of dogs (and some cats will also tolerate being washed). High temperature steam cleaning is effective in removing the ‘reservoir’ of allergen in the carpets.

Chemicals
Some chemicals are known to cause allergy-type problems directly – in other words, you start to react to them just like foods and inhaled allergens. The reactions are often quite rapid and fairly severe because chemicals are absorbed into the body much more quickly than foods etc. However any chemical that we inhale or ingest has to be eliminated from the body through our detoxification pathways; these often fail to function adequately in people with immune system problems. The same detox pathways that get rid of chemicals also have to deal with breakdown products from reactions to foods etc. These pathways use vitamins, minerals and proteins to work; the more you react, the harder the pathways work, and the more vitamins and minerals they use. At the same time, people who are allergic to foods tend not to absorb vitamins and minerals from their diet very well. If you become deficient in vitamins and minerals then the detox pathways can’t work effectively, allowing chemicals to build up in the system. Therefore even low levels of chemicals, which would not affect a ‘normal’ person, affect many allergic people.

Reducing the load of chemicals to which we are exposed each day is therefore an important aspect to consider. Not only should you try and avoid chemicals to which you react, but you also need to reduce as far as possible the use of all chemicals in the home, in order to relieve the load on the immune system and detox pathways. So, ideally, everyone in the house needs to do the following:

• DON’T SMOKE or allow smoking in the house; if someone in your house just won’t give up, ask them to only smoke in one room and get a good air filter in there.
• Don’t use perfume or hairspray.
• Switch to un-perfumed deodorants; use sticks/roll-on’s, not sprays (or ideally, nothing)
• Use fragrance free shampoo and conditioner.
• Use a ‘cleaner’ toothpaste, ie homeopathic, herbal, baking soda (patient only).
• Don’t use air fresheners, carpet powder cleaners, scented vacuum bags.
• Use oxygen bleaches, not chlorine bleach. Borax can be put down toilet bowls, and for soaking clothes.
• Cut down on the use of strong smelling disinfectants. Most people use disinfectants when they only need to clean with soap and water. When a disinfectant is needed use a non-taint, safer type such as Dettox.
• Switch to an un-perfumed soap powder of the ‘sensitive skin’ type and don’t use fabric conditioners at all.
• Cut down on the use of furniture polishes and spray cleaners; use pump sprays or tins rather than aerosols (or ideally just damp-dust).
• Half-used tins of paint, brush cleaner etc. should not be kept under the sink. Eventually the paint dries out in the tin – where does the solvent go? into the air in your house!

In summary, everyone in the house needs to stop using any chemical that is not necessary. Where products do still need to be used, they should be fragrance-free, non-aerosol versions.

Source: http://www.allergyuk.org

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Inhalent sensitivities - Part 1

allergens

This group includes pollens, moulds, animal dander and housedust mites.

Housedust Mites are probably the most important inhaled allergen; reducing exposure to them is the most fundamental aspect of allergen avoidance. They are found in large numbers in most houses in the UK; they require a food source (shed skin scales), warmth, and humidity to survive.

Skin scales are found in abundance in bedding, soft furnishings and carpets. Each night we warm up our beds as we sleep, shed skin and provide moisture through perspiration and breathing (roughly a pint per person per night); therefore high levels of mites are found in bedclothes, mattresses and pillows. Each mite passes very small faecal pellets (about 30 microns); these are extremely dry as the housedust mite needs to conserve as much moisture as possible. These pellets fragment easily into particles, which become airborne very easily, and remain airborne for many hours. They are of a size that our defences find most difficult to keep out of our airways, and they are therefore easily inhaled. As they land on the surface of the airways they set up an immune response; because they will act as a repeated stimulus to the immune system, in the susceptible patient allergy may well develop.

Housedust mite exposure should be reduced even if you do not think it is a particular problem – almost every allergic patient is allergic to them, and this puts a constant ‘load’ on the immune system.

There are several ways of approaching the control of housedust mite exposure:-

• The most important area to tackle is the bed. Wash bedding regularly. Mites in bedclothes will be killed if you can hot wash them (60oC and above). Although normal cool washing does not kill mites, it does wash out the allergic component of the pellets that causes the problem, and it will be some time before the levels rise again. Pillows are supposed to be washable but in practice it can be difficult getting them dry, and mattresses can’t be washed at all. Therefore pillows and mattresses hold high levels of mites and every night their pellets are breathed in as we sleep. They should be covered with a special ‘allergy’ breathable barrier cover if possible. The duvet should also be covered in the same way unless it is washable and is regularly washed. Mattresses on slatted bases, which allow good air circulation, are an advantage if possible.

• Kill them with high temperature steam cleaning of carpets, mattresses etc (high-temp steam leaves things dry rather than wet); or by freezing (e.g. pillows, soft toys).
• Increase ventilation to lower humidity (i.e. have windows open as much as possible). One of the reasons for the increase in housedust mite problems in recent decades is poor ventilation leading to higher humidity, which encourages mite growth. Reducing humidity levels kill mites, and as it also controls mould growth and reduces indoor air pollution (often worse than outdoor pollution).
• The best option is a good air filter (and a dehumidifier if the house is particularly damp). There are many air filters on the market that will trap larger particles such as whole pollen grains and mite pellets, but fragmented pellets and pollens, and some mould spores, are of a size (up to one micron) which most easily get through our defences. Up to 95% of the airborne particles in a room will be of this size, and they are also the most difficult particles for an air filter to remove. Filters, which are specifically designed to remove these most difficult particles, are called HEPA filters, and these are the best ones to buy.
• Filter vacuum cleaners – the small size of the most troublesome particles means that they pass straight through the coarse filter and dust bag of a normal cleaner and are blown around the room (thus many dust allergic people are worse after vacuuming). Simple measures include getting someone else to vacuum, opening windows wide during vacuuming, and not doing it so often – damp dust instead (but not with a cloth that is too wet, or humidity will rise). Ideally an old vacuum cleaner should be replaced with one that is designed to effectively trap even the sub-micron particles which cause the problems. There are a range of options, from expensive but very effective purpose built machines, through to standard models fitted with special microfilters, to filter material which can be added to your existing vacuum cleaner if you can’t afford a new one. Whichever type you choose, you should be sure that the filter vacuum effectively removes particles down to half-a-micron or so. A more powerful machine will suck up more dust and therefore steadily reduce the ‘reservoir’ of housedust mite left in furnishings.

Pollens and Moulds
Grass pollen is commonly considered; tree and weed pollens are often ignored but as each has it’s own season ranging from January (Hazel) to October (Dandelion). Air filters are effective indoors (pollens are relatively large particles, although fragments are obviously much smaller). Filter vacuum cleaners will trap pollens.

Mould spores are usually ignored but are potent allergens – very few allergic patients are not mould sensitive. Different moulds spore at different seasons, so mould sensitivity (as with pollens) can lead to year long symptoms, usually worse in spring and particularly autumn, in damp weather, when raining or snowing, and in gardens, around compost heaps, and when cutting grass. Measures to reduce humidity, increase ventilation, and good air filters will help tackle mould sensitivity, as may avoiding ‘mouldy’ foods such as blue cheeses, mushrooms and yeasts.

If you have a damp house, particularly where mould is visible on walls and windowsills, it is important to determine the cause and tackle it (either structural faults, or condensation due to inadequate heating or poor ventilation)

Source: http://www.allergyuk.org

To be continued....................

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Benefits from asthma drugs - what patients really want

asthma drugs


Traditionally, trials of new asthma medicines have studied objective outcomes such as improvements in lung function or symptoms, believing these to be important for both the doctor and the patient.

However, some of our preconceived ideas about what patients want are being challenged by studies which show that the benefits which patients experience are often not measured in traditional clinical trials. Lung function is commonly used as the primary endpoint in asthma clinical trials, but it may not reflect changes which are important to patients.

Christine Jenkins (Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Camperdown, Australia) and her colleagues examined the traditional and patient-focussed benefits achieved by three commonly prescribed classes of asthma drugs. They compared and related the changes in lung function and symptoms with patient-centred endpoints such as quality of life and a global rating of asthma control during treatment with three classes of asthma medication - a long acting bronchodilator, an inhaled preventer and an oral preventer medication.

The study shows that the perceived effectiveness of a drug is dependent on the specific endpoints which are examined.

For example, an inhaled corticosteroid, fluticasone, was superior to a long-acting bronchodilator, formoterol, for clinic lung function and airway responsiveness (the sensitivity of the airways); equivalent to formoterol for symptom control, morning peak flow readings, daytime reliever use, quality of life and patient assessments of asthma control; and inferior to formoterol for night-time asthma prevention.

The study found that in asthma treatment, traditional endpoints do not fully capture patient-centred benefits.

It is important to understand more about the effects of medications that patients value, to appreciate that some treatments may be preferred by patients on the basis of changes which may not be measured in conventional clinical trials.

Patients may be aware of a day-to-day protective benefit which is not reflected in any single functional assessment, and clinical trials should aim to include these measures when assessing new treatments.




Title of the original article:
Traditional and patient-centred outcomes with three classes of asthma medication

http://www.cedos.int.ch

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Important facts about Asthma

about asthma


• Asthma is a medical, physiological condition.
• There is no causal relationship between parenting skills and asthma. Asthma is caused by genetic predisposition and physical factors, not poor parenting.
• Children with asthma often (about 50%) experience a reduction or disappearance of symptoms as they grow into adulthood, but there are no guarantees about any child growing out of asthma or that their symptoms will not return at a later date.
• Often people experience a reduction in symptoms when moving to a different climate, at least temporarily. However, as people become accustomed to the new environment, new allergens (pollens, etc.) can pop up – trading one allergen for another.
• Asthma can kill. The best prevention is well-managed asthma and early detection and intervention in attacks. Under treatment leads to more deaths than over treatment of asthma.
• Exercise is as important for those with asthma as those without. Properly controlled asthma can allow children to participate in most or all activities.
• Coughing is often as much an indication of asthma as wheezing. Some asthmatics cough and wheeze, others only cough.
• Asthma is triggered by emotional upsets.

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Indoor Allergens - Top Tips

allergens

If you are suffering from an allergy to house dust mite, pets or moulds have a look at our top tips that could help ease some of your symptoms.

• Allergic reactions to house dust mite cause sneezing, wheezing, runny nose, tight chest and skin rashes, avoidance measures are key as part of a management programme.
• House dust mites make happy bedfellows, did you know, it is estimated that 2 million house dust mites live in a double bed. By using anti-allergy bedding covers that have been scientifically tested, you can significantly reduce contact with the allergen.
• Using duvets and pillows that contain material in which house dust mites cannot live can play a major part in avoidance.
• The house dust mite thrives in a warm moist environment. An electric blanket containing anti-allergy material will not only keep your bed warm, but house dust mites will not thrive in a nice dry bed.
• Padded headboards attract and hold dust, vacuum them regularly or opt for a wooden one.
• Indoor air quality is often as much as 20 times more polluted than the air outside. Common allergens are house dust mite, mould spores, pet dander, and pollen, and chemical pollutants are pesticides from timber treatments, tobacco smoke and chemicals from household cleaning products.
• Keep your home well ventilated by opening windows and by slightly lowering the temperature of the central heating you can greatly improve the air quality and reduce indoor allergens.
• Air conditioning is becoming increasingly popular but it is important to remember that these systems must be properly maintained otherwise mould can become established in the system and will be spread around the building by the very action of the air conditioning system itself.
• House dust mites can survive at quite low temperatures and up to over 34C, but they need moisture to survive which is why our UK humid climate is so good. Almost all temperatures in our homes offer the ideal environment for house dust mites to live in but you can make your home difficult for them to survive by reducing humidity and taking the following steps: air your bed everyday by hanging your duvet or blankets over a chair, open windows and close doors on all steamy rooms like the bathroom and kitchen.
• To further reduce house dust mites and their allergen, vacuum carpets everyday and curtains, and fabric three-piece suites three times a week with a vacuum cleaner that has a Hepa filter.
• When replacing your three piece suite try to replace it with a leather or vinyl covered suite.
• It is quite fashionable nowadays to use cotton throws over fabric suites. These can be washed at least monthly on a 60-degree wash to kill any allergens gathered in the throw or you could use anti-allergy bedding that can be adapted to make covers encasing the suite.
• Soft toys are a favourite place for house dust mites to live in. By removing all but a favourite soft toy from the bedroom at night, you will lessen the house dust mites in your child’s room and bed. Every month, all soft toys should be either placed in the freezer for at least 24 hours and washed (in a pillow case) to remove the dead mites and their allergic droppings or washed at a temperature of 60C.
• Pollen can live in the carpet for three months, vacuum regularly with a cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter.
• Cat allergy is very common. Cat allergen is very light and sticky and stays around for months even after the cat is no longer around. Cat allergen sticks to carpeting, furnishings and walls, causing a problem for sufferers, regular washing down of walls and paintwork will help keep allergens down.
• Steam cleaning can make a great impact using a product that has been scientifically tested to ascertain its efficiency in removing allergens. Vacuuming the carpet after steam cleaning will completely remove dead mites and allergen.
• Regularly check and clean bathrooms. Kitchens and bathrooms are ideal breeding grounds for moulds to grow, as are windowsills, check these areas regularly. Rather than using chemical cleaners to remove mould try white vinegar or borax for cleaning, as this will remove the mould without increasing the chemical pollution within the home.
• Regularly check fruit in the fruit basket removing any aging fruit as this will be a target for mould.
• Indoor houseplants are another source of moulds. Place pea-shingle on top of the soil and this will stop mould spores from settling.
• Always use an electrostatic duster or damp dust, as this will stop dust particles becoming air-borne. Dust particles can remain airborne for several hours irritating the nose, eyes and chest.

Source: http://www.allergyuk.org

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