Asthma is a chronic lung disorder that can make breathing difficult by narrowing and inflaming the airways (bronchial tubes).
“Asthma” is an ancient Greek word meaning “short breath, panting.” One of the telltale signs of asthma attacks is the wheezing and breathing difficulty that they cause. Asthma attacks can be a frightening experience, and affect breathing by causing inflammation, swelling, and narrowing of the airways, recurring wheezing, chest tightness, coughing, and shortness of breath. Chronically inflamed bronchial tubes become very sensitive to inhaled allergens or irritants such as pollen, pollution, tobacco smoke, or triggers such as exercise.
About 25 million people in the US have asthma; 7 million of those are children. Asthma reports are on the rise. The condition affects men and women equally. Asthma causes over 14 million visits to doctors each year and nearly 2 million visits to emergency departments. Asthma can kill. The rate of asthma deaths spiked from 2,600 in 1979 up to 4,600 in 1988. The reasons for this spike are unknown, but may be related to inadequate medical care, an increased severity of asthma, and/or an increase in the number of people with asthma. African Americans are about three times as likely to die from asthma as white Americans. Most people who die from asthma are over age 50, but children sometimes die of the condition, too.
Asthma inhalers and nebulizers have advantages over oral medications and injections in that they deliver medicine directly to the airways. They also have fewer side effects than other forms of asthma medication. The most common treatment for asthma involves a device called an inhaler. An inhaler is a small device that delivers asthma medicine directly to the airways. Inhalers come in two types: Metered Dose Inhalers (MDI): MDIs are the most common type of inhaler. They spray medicine from the inhaler like an aerosol can.
Dry powder inhalers: Dry powder inhalers deliver a powdered medicine that does not spray from the inhaler. Instead, the user must breathe in the medicine quickly and forcefully. Sometimes MDIs are used along with a device called a spacer. Spacers help coordinate breathing with the release of the asthma medicine, and also make the droplets of medicine smaller, making it easier to breath them in.
For babies and very young children, an inhaler requires too much work. In that case, a nebulizer can be used. Nebulizers are powered by electricity to turn asthma medicine into a fine mist. The mist is delivered through a tube attached to a facemask or mouthpiece. Disadvantages to nebulizers include the fact that they can be noisy, they can be big, they can be time-consuming, and they may not be very portable.
Common medications used with inhalers and nebulizers include the following: Inhaled Corticosteroids: Inhaled corticosteroids reduce inflammation in the airways, which reduces swelling and tightening. Sometimes these medicines are used even without asthma symptoms, as they can help prevent future asthma attacks. Types of inhaled corticosteroids include beclomethasone, budesonide, ciclesonide, flunisolide, fluticasone, and triamcinolone. Short-Acting Bronchodilators: Bronchodilators have no steroids and work by relaxing the tiny muscles that can tighten airways during asthma attacks. Short-acting bronchodilators give quick relief to asthma symptoms. Types of short-acting bronchodilators include albuterol, levalbuterol, terbutaline, and ipratropium. Long-Acting Bronchodilators: Long-acting bronchodilators are taken daily to help control asthma and prevent future asthma attacks. Types of long-acting bronchodilators include salmeterol and formoterol.
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