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Understanding and Managing Asthma Essay
ASTHMA
Etiology of Asthma
Asthma is an inflammatory disease that influences the airways featured by recurring and variable symptoms, bronchospasm, and reversible airflow obstruction. Some of the symptoms of the diseases include coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest tightness. Asthma is perceived to be because of environmental and genetic factors. The diagnosis of the disease is based on patterns of symptoms and response to therapy with time. The clinical classification is based on frequency of symptoms and forced expiratory volume in each second (FEV1) as well as the peak flow for the expiratory rates (Clark, 2010). Asthma is also classified as one of the non-atopic (intrinsic) or atopic (extrinsic) elements. Atopy refers to a predisposition to the development of hypersensitivity reactions in the type 1 category.
Treatment of most acute symptoms involves usage of inhaled beta-2 agonist that is short acting such as oral corticosteroids and salbutamol. In severe cases, magnesium sulfate, hospitalization, and intravenous corticosteroids are required. Symptoms are prevented through avoidance of triggers including irritants and allergens as well as the continued use of prescribed inhaled corticosteroids. The long-acting beta agonists and anti-leukotriene agents (CysLT antagonists or arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors) that are used for purposes of advancing effectiveness of inhaled corticosteroids for asthma symptoms that remain uncontrolled (Murphy, 2011).
Environmental factors are linked to asthma's exacerbation and development such as air pollution, allergens, among other environmental chemicals. Smoking in times of pregnancy as well as after delivery is linked to greater asthma-like risk symptoms. Lower air quantities of factors of high ozone or traffic pollution levels lead to elements of increased asthma severity and asthma development (Douglas & Elward, 2010). Hygiene hypothesis explains the high rates of asthma across the world as unintended and direct outcomes of reduced exposure to non-pathogenic viruses and bacteria during childhood.
The theory proposes that the scope of reduction of exposure to viruses and bacteria is in part, due to the increased levels of cleanliness as well as the decreased family sizes of modern societies. The atopic eczema triad is based on asthma and allergic rhinitis popular as atopy (Clark, 2010). The major risk factors for advancement of asthma includes the history of atopic diseases based on asthma that happens at greater rates than those that are either on hay fever or eczema. Asthma is also associated with the Churg -- Strauss syndrome that is an autoimmune vasculitis and disease. People with…
Sample Source(s) Used
References
Clark, M.V. (2010). Asthma: A Clinician's Guide. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Douglas, J.G., & Elward, K.S. (2010). Asthma: Clinician's Desk Reference. New York: CRC Press.
Murphy, W. (2011). Asthma. New York: Twenty-First Century Books.
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