Major Steps to Prevent COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)

There are a number of steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing COPD.

New App for Asthma Patients on How to Use Metered dose Inhaler

The health industry is responding to the increasing growth, popularity and availability of new technological innovations, such as tablets and smart phones. Health applications on Asthma, COPD and Allergies have the potential to be adapted and used by healthcare professionals and patients both.

Nocturnal Asthma: Sleep Matters

Nocturnal asthma, with symptoms like chest tightness, shortness of breath, cough, and wheezing at night, can make sleep impossible and leave you feeling tired and irritable during the day.

The chances of experiencing asthma symptoms are higher during sleep. Nocturnal wheezing, cough, and trouble breathing are common yet potentially dangerous. Many doctors often underestimate nocturnal asthma or nighttime asthma.

Sleep itself may even cause changes in bronchial function.

Do You Have Asthma?

Attacks of asthma are usually so dramatic and so sudden that anybody who has seen or God forbid, experienced one such Asthma episode, would identify it easily. The patient is fine one minute and suddenly, he or she could have a bout of dry cough initially, followed by an intense difficulty in breathing. Most asthma attacks occur after midnight, usually around 2: am or 3: am. Lots of asthmatics tend to start coughing at around this time and then expectorate some tenacious phlegm before getting some relief.

How will you diagnose Bronchial Asthma?

Episodic or chronic symptoms of airflow obstruction: breathlessness, cough, wheezing and chest tightness. Asthma symptoms frequently get worse at night or in the early morning. Prolonged expiration and diffuse wheezes on physical examination. There is limitation of airflow on pulmonary function testing or positive bronchoprovacation challenge. There is Complete or partial reversibility of airflow obstruction, either spontaneously or following the bronchodilator therapy.

Home Remedies For Asthma

Asthma attacks can be dangerous and can lead to Hypoxia. Timely treatment is required. Asthma puffers are available but experts say that it makes one dependent. It's better to try and eliminate the cause. So we suggest that Asthma can be prevented by using some house hold remedies by Asthma patients.

Exercise Induced Asthma (EIA)

Airway obstruction following exercise was first observed among individuals with underlying asthma from which the term exercise-induced asthma (EIA) was derived. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways in which many cells and cellular elements play a role, and it is associated with bronchial (or airway) hyper-responsiveness. We define EIA as the condition in which exercise induces symptoms of asthma in patients who have asthma.

Drug Delivery System In Asthma

Often physicians are asked this question: “Don’t you think the use of an inhaler makes you get hooked on to it. The answer is a definite “no’. Let me first explain the different modes of the drug delivery systems.

Aerosols or inhalers usually propel a drug at a great speed. The particle size is usually very small and the medicine is pushed into the respiratory system along with the inhaled air to reach the bronchial tree and work on the muscles. Aerosols are available freely and are very handy.

Common Side Effects of Asthma Inhalers and Ways to Prevent It

Asthma inhalers are prescribed to help open the airways of an asthma patient. To relieve the symptoms of asthma, your doctor may prescribe the use of an inhaler. Knowing your asthma medication side effects is an important part of caring for your asthma.

Albuterol is the generic form of inhalation medication, commonly prescribed. New brands have entered the market but haven’t penetrated to the extent Albuterol has. Inhaled albuterol and other beta-agonists can be dispensed as below:

Determine the Specific Course of Treatment in Asthma

Although physicians are aware that “all that wheezes is not asthma,” asthma continues to be misdiagnosed at times. In such cases, poor initial response to treatment may result in the administration of increased doses of asthma medications, including repeated courses of oral corticosteroids. In this latter instance, a patient’s persistent symptoms often lead to emergency room visits and hospitalizations. So a specific line of treatment for each patient needs to be planned out.