Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the bronchi.
The course of the disease is characterized by successive periods of exacerbation of symptoms and periods of full health, hence it is often talked about its variable course.
Asthmatic complaints can have various symptoms and severity.
Characteristic symptoms are: shortness of breath, difficult breathing or lack of breath, wheezing during breathing, tightness in the chest, bouts of tiring cough.
There are periods of disease stabilization and periods of asthma exacerbation, i.e. asthma attacks.
During exacerbation, the symptoms of asthma can be so severe that they are life-threatening. To avoid such dangerous situations, it is necessary to control the course of the disease as much as possible, based mainly on appropriate pharmacological treatment, avoiding factors that exacerbate the disease, but also on self-observation and self-monitoring of the patient.
Mechanism of allergic reaction in asthma
Allergy enters the body through a thin layer of airway mucosa, where it encounters defense cells (mast cells) that produce special antibodies - immunoglobulins E (IgE), which from that moment are constantly on duty to instantly recognize the next intruder and call for help. The breakdown of defense cells (mast cells) causes an immediate abundance of early (histamine) and longer-acting inflammatory mediators (prostaglandins, leukotrienes), which deepen and strengthen inflammation, as a result of which, bronchospasm gives asthma-like symptoms.
ASTMATIC INFLAMMATORY STATEMENT IN SCAVERS
Which means chronic bronchitis for health?
Under the influence of chronic inflammation in the bronchial tubes, smooth muscle hypertrophy occurs, which grows "inwards", diminishing the light of the respiratory tract. Under the bronchial epithelium, fibrous collagen, thickening walls are deposited and the number of so-called goblet cells that produce dense and viscous, forming plugs in the bronchi of the mucus. This process leads to the destruction (exfoliation) of the ciliary epithelium, which is responsible for clearing the airways.
How to objectively control the course of asthma?
For objective control of asthma, it is necessary to measure patency of the bronchial tree with a small device measuring peak expiratory flow (PEF). Noticing the value of PEF in different situations (eg after exercise, after a meal) can help the doctor in choosing the drug and its dose for effective prevention of acute dyspnoea events.
How to prevent the irreversible effects of chronic bronchitis?
In order to inhibit the irreversible process of ciliary epithelium destruction, it is necessary to apply causal (anti-inflammatory) treatment and patient self-control.
What are the basic principles of self-control:
1. Avoiding allergic and irritating factors, both respiratory and alimentary,
2. Humidifying the air that the patient breathes,
3. Observation of asthma symptoms by recording episodes of dyspnea, cough, etc.,
4. Frequent consultations with a physician aimed at creating a treatment schedule that will match the number of doses of drugs to the severity of the symptoms of the disease,
5. Use of medicines as prescribed by your doctor.
