Asthma
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic lung condition that makes it harder to breathe. Asthma is characterized by two problems: 1) inflammation and mucus in the airways and 2) squeezing of the airways, also known as constriction. For people who have asthma, this means their airways are more sensitive and can get irritated more easily.
Common symptoms of asthma include coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Many of them are similar to COPD symptoms, which can make it difficult to tell the two apart.
Like COPD, you may not experience asthma symptoms every day. Other times you might experience a flare-up of asthma symptoms, also known as an asthma attack.
In This Article:
What Causes Asthma?
It’s not clear what causes asthma, but it’s thought to be a mix of environmental and genetic factors. There are also triggers that can cause a flare-up of asthma symptoms, such as:
- Allergens like dust, pollen, mold spores, or pet dander
- Respiratory illnesses, like the common cold
- Exercise
- Cold air
- Smoke, exhaust and other air pollutants
- Stress
- Some medications, like ibuprofen and aspirin
Diagnosing Asthma
A diagnosis of asthma usually begins with a patient history and physical exam; your healthcare provider may also see how you react to medicine, called a bronchodilator, in what’s known as a methacholine challenge. The methacholine challenge tests how responsive your lungs are and can find symptoms of asthma.
You may also be asked to take a spirometry test, which is a type of breathing test that is also common for people living with COPD. A spirometry test measures how much air you can breathe out in one forced breath, so it can help detect if there is a problem with your airways.
If your doctor suspects that you have a condition called asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS), he or she may also order a chest X-ray or CT scan. ACOS is when you have symptoms of both COPD and asthma. You can read more about ACOS in the section below, How Asthma Affects COPD.
Treating Asthma
There is no cure for asthma, but it can be managed with medication. There are three types of medicine that can help relieve the symptoms of asthma and ACOS. You may recognize them from your own treatment regimen:
- Inhaled corticosteroids – these medicines help calm ongoing inflammation in your airways and are used as maintenance medications
- Long-acting bronchodilators – also known as LABAs, they help keep your airways open for 12-24 hours. They are used as maintenance medications and are taken in combination with other medicines
- Long-acting muscarinic agonists – also known as LAMAs, they are often used to treat COPD symptoms by keeping your airways open and reducing mucus production. Like LABAs, LAMAs are also used as maintenance medications
- Short-acting beta agonists – also known as SABAs, or “relief” or “rescue” medicines, they are used to treat an asthma attack
People living with asthma can use an at-home spirometer or peak flow meter to measure their peak flow. Peak flow is the amount air you can exhale as quickly as possible. The peak flow measurement is important as it identifies how constricted your airways are. Lower peak flow numbers indicate more constricted airways, whereas higher peak flow numbers indicate open airways.
An asthma action plan can help you keep track of changes in your condition and how to respond if your symptoms worsen.
How Asthma Affects COPD
People living with COPD may also have asthma, in what is known as asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS). This is when you have symptoms of both asthma and COPD, like difficulty breathing, excess mucus, frequent coughing and shortness of breath, and wheezing.
It can be difficult to tell the difference between the two conditions, but if you are experiencing frequent symptoms, it’s important to get diagnosed. This is because ACOS can be more serious than having either asthma or COPD.
If you have asthma, ask about getting an at-home spirometer. You can use this to monitor your peak flow readings and record them in your Wellinks app. This information can help you and your healthcare provider monitor trends and changes in your peak flow. Wellinks recommends using the spirometer to record your peak flows once a day.
It’s important to know what your asthma triggers are to minimize the effects of asthma "attacks" or exacerbations. A list of common asthma triggers is above, but you may be sensitive to other environmental factors too. Your healthcare provider can help you identify your triggers. It’s important to take bronchodilator medication prior to being exposed to triggers.
An asthma action plan can help you keep track of your peak flow and changes in your condition, as well as the actions you can take to respond. Your plan can also help you take steps early if you notice changes in your symptoms.
What You Can Do Today
- Exercise regularly and as directed by your healthcare provider
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet
- Be aware of your triggers; knowing your asthma triggers is especially important to minimize the effects of asthma “attacks”, also known as exacerbations
- Take all COPD and asthma medication as directed
- Monitor your peak flows and make sure you have an asthma action plan. Wellinks can help develop an asthma action plan along with your healthcare provider
Resources
https://www.thoracic.org/patients/patient-resources/resources/asthma.pdf