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Nowadays, asthma has become one of the most common diseases in the United States and the world. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA, 2021), 25 million people nationwide have asthma. While the disease does not manifest itself on a daily basis, annually, people with asthma have at least one serious episode. In order to define the nature of this disease, it is necessary to dwell on the pathophysiology or the distortions in the physiological process of asthma.
Pathophysiology
The primary organ affected by asthma is the lungs, as the disease is caused by airway narrowing and the inability to breathe. Hence, one of the major changes in the airway caused by asthma is bronchoconstriction. According to Sinyor and Perez (2021), this phenomenon stands for the rapid airway response to external irritants and triggers. For example, if a person is exposed to a certain allergen, in order to prevent the exposure, bronchial smooth muscle creates contractions that block the airway (Sinyor & Perez, 2021). Being one of the most common and evident responses to an allergic reaction or any external trigger, including cold air or exercise, bronchoconstriction can be stopped by limiting the exposure to the trigger or by administering epinephrine.
Another physiological manifestation of asthma is airway edema. This phenomenon is more complex and challenging for an affected individual. This process includes further inflammation and the occurrence of mucus plugs that block one’s airways (Sinyor & Perez, 2021). These issues can cause long-term changes in the airway structure, limiting one’s ability to liquidate bronchoconstriction. Thus, in some cases, the airway barriers caused by triggers can only partially go back to normal, creating a major obstruction in the long term. Finally, frequent exposure to allergens and triggers can lead to such a physiological phenomenon as an airway hypersensitivity, including a more serious and active response to minimal exposure to allergens and other triggers (Sinyor & Perez, 2021). Hence, taking into consideration the pathophysiology of asthma, it can be concluded that the general pattern of the disease is characterized by the airway limitation and lung pressure that happens as a result of exposure to an irritant or stimulus. The severity of airway blockage depends on the personal reaction to an irritant and its quantity.
Symptoms and Manifestation
Although asthma is a disease that accounts for unique reactions to allergens, the average physical exam will showcase the three most common asthma processes, namely:
- Airway swelling;
- Airway clogging by mucus plugs;
- Muscle tightening (AAFA, 2022).
These processes, in their turn, are manifested through such signs and symptoms as shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, and wheezing. Hence, depending on the severity of these symptoms, patients are expected to either address the doctor immediately or prevent the attack locally, using quick-relief medications such as EpiPen or preventive medicine such as corticosteroids. There are three major asthma zones, including green, yellow, and red. According to the zone, people experiencing asthma symptoms need to take prescriptive or quick-relief medication and seek professional clinical assistance.
While in most cases, asthma can be hard to predict, the most common risk factors include a genetic predisposition to asthma, conditions related to allergic reactions, having serious respiratory infections as a child, and being exposed to various irritants and chemicals at work. For this reason, if a person feels episodes of breath shortness, cough, or tightness of breath, it is recommended they address a clinical professional immediately. By using physicals such as spirometry, professionals are capable of early disease recognition and asthma attack prophylaxis.
References
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. (2021). Asthma facts and figures.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. (2022). What are the symptoms of asthma?
Sinyor, B., & Perez, L. C. (2021). Pathophysiology of asthma. In StatPearls [E-book]. StatPearls Publishing.
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