Our respiratory system brings oxygen into the body and expels carbon dioxide waste by breathing. Asthma and Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are both serious conditions of the respiratory system that make breathing difficult. Symptoms of these conditions include wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. Asthma is usually caused by a trigger, like pollen or dust that causes the airways to constrict. COPD includes the diseases chronic bronchitis and emphysema. COPD is progressive, meaning that it gets worse over time.
Asthma
Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the airways that carry oxygen in and out of the lungs. If a person has asthma, the inside of these airways is irritated and swollen. Asthma can cause shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and tightness in the chest. Asthma has no cure, but it can be controlled, especially when avoiding environmental triggers. Examples of triggers include secondhand smoke, wood smoke, pollution, stress, exercise, food and drug allergies, respiratory infections (flu, colds, etc.), pets, dust, pollen, chemicals, cold air, mold, and pests, such as cockroaches. In 2016, nearly 2,000 Kentucky residents were hospitalized for asthma as a primary diagnosis, and more than 17,500 Kentucky residents went to the emergency department for asthma as a primary diagnosis.
COPD
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD, refers to a group of diseases that cause airflow blockage and breathing-related problems. It includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and in some cases asthma. In the United States, tobacco smoke is a key factor in the development and progression of COPD, although exposure to air pollutants in the home and workplace, genetic factors, and respiratory infections also play a role. In the developing world, indoor air quality is thought to play a larger role in the development and progression of COPD than it does in the United States. In 2016, over 16,500 Kentucky residents were hospitalized for COPD as a primary diagnosis, and more than 54,000 Kentucky residents went to the emergency department for COPD as a primary diagnosis.
General Asthma Informtaion
Why is this important?
The CDC National Asthma Control Program reports that 1 in 12 children and 1 in 13 adults have asthma. In the year 2012, there were 10.5 million doctor visits, 1.8 million emergency department visits, 439,000 hospitalizations, and 3,630 deaths due to asthma. Since there is no cure for asthma, it is a health burden that stays with people for their whole lives. This translates into lifelong costs for medication and treatment. However, there are also many direct and indirect economic costs associated with asthma. The CDC reports that in 2008, there were 10.5 million days of school and 14.2 million days of work that were missed due to asthma. Overall, asthma costs $56 billion per year in the United States.
What is known?
Asthma triggers can come from a variety of sources, such as outdoor allergens, chemicals used in certain occupations, vigorous exercise, or even some medical conditions. Some common triggers include
- Dust mites,
- Pollen,
- Second-hand smoke,
- Mold,
- Air pollution and smoke,
- Strenuous exercise,
- Pets, and
- Cockroaches.
It is important to remember that asthma triggers vary from person to person.
Who is at risk?
There are many factors that influence the risk of developing asthma. The CDC reports that risk is increased in the following areas:
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Gender: For children, boys are more likely to have asthma. However, for adults, women are more likely to have asthma.
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Age: Young adults ages 18-24 are more likely to have asthma when compared with older adults.
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Race and ethnicity: For children, black children are twice as likely to have asthma as white children. For adults, multiracial and black adults have a higher risk than white adults.
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Education: Adults who did not graduate high school have a higher risk than adults who did graduate high school or college.
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Income: People with incomes below $75,000 per year are more likely to have asthma than those who have greater incomes.
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Behavior: Smoking increases the risk of asthma as does obesity.
How to reduce risk?
Even though asthma has no cure, you can reduce the risk of severe complications, hospitalizations, and death due to asthma by properly taking prescribed medication and knowing your triggers. When you know your triggers, you can take preventive action to avoid them, thus, preventing asthma attacks.
Once you are diagnosed with asthma, your healthcare provider will advise you on how to properly manage it. Asthma can usually be managed in an outpatient setting, reducing the need for emergency department visits. The majority of problems associated with asthma, including emergency department visits, are preventable if asthma is managed according to established guidelines. Effective management includes control of exposures to factors that trigger exacerbations, adequate pharmacological management, continual monitoring of the disease, and patient education in asthma care.
Factors in the environment that are known to increase the risk of an asthma attack include tobacco smoke, wood smoke, dust mites, mold and pollen, animal dander, cold weather, and certain types of outdoor air pollution. Monitoring and avoiding these factors can help to decrease the risk of an asthma attack.
People who work in school-based health centers are also able to help children manage their asthma. This includes helping reduce exposures to environmental asthma triggers, education, case management, improving indoor air quality, improving students' home environments, and improving outdoor air quality around the school and community. Click here to read more about "Asthma Environmental Intervention Guide for School-Based Health Centers."
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