Tomorrow, May 6th is World Asthma Day, and it comes with the data of the increase of asthma cases in Spain. At Top Doctors we have a prestigious asthma expert, Dr. Josep Morera Prat, who talks for this blog about the symptoms, the importance of early detection and treatment.
Asthma is a chronic disease caused by inflammation of the airways, the main effects of which are coughing and difficulty in breathing. In Spain the prevalence varies between 5 and 10% depending on the region, age and sex, but for Dr. Morera “the most important thing is prevention when it comes to improving this disease. Breastfeeding, a Mediterranean diet and a clean environment help to prevent asthma. Risk factors include obesity from childhood, contact with pets at an early age and, above all, exposure to tobacco smoke.
Symptoms of asthma
The symptoms of asthma, both in infants and adults, is the presence of persistent cough, difficult breathing and breathing noises. “In the case of children, we must keep a good control with the pediatrician and comply with the prescribed treatments. But, we must take into account that, sometimes, before the age of three, many children have wheezing noises that later disappear, which is why the pediatrician must mitigate this concern and monitor the evolution”.
Asthma treatment
To treat asthma, Salbutamol and corticoids are most commonly used at minimum doses by inhalation, although in the case of treatments for children under 5 years of age, administration must be by means of chambers (“masks”) that help the youngest children to correctly perform the necessary inhalations. It should be remembered that overuse of salbutamol treatment can lead to tachycardia and insomnia, and the use of inhaled corticosteroids at high and prolonged doses can rarely interfere with growth.
Other advances in the treatment of asthma “are therapeutics with anti-IgE biologic drugs or other cytokines, which are promising but expensive treatments for selected patients. Thermoplasty has also emerged, which is a technique still to be evaluated,” as Dr. Morera explained.
Allergies and sports
“A large majority of asthma cases are due to allergies. The most common are: dust allergy due to mites (dermatophagoids), pet hair, pollens in the environment and, in some areas, cockroach droppings. In order to control allergic asthma, I advise knowing its origin through allergological studies and avoiding it as much as possible, in addition to early and adequate treatment”, assures Dr. Morera.
On the other hand, this expert puts an end to the myth that it is not possible to do sports if you have asthma, because “it is advisable to have your asthma under control before doing sports”. In general, “a short- or long-acting bronchodilator is recommended, 20 or 30 minutes before starting physical exercise. We must take into account that swimming is one of the most risky sports for asthmatics due to exposure to chlorine”.