Asthma is a respiratory disease characterized by airway constriction, increased mucus production, and inflammation, leading to symptoms like shortness of breath and coughing. It can be triggered by environmental factors and is diagnosed through medical history, physical exams, and lung function tests. Treatment varies based on severity and may include medications like beta-agonists and corticosteroids, alongside lifestyle modifications to manage and prevent symptoms.

1. Asthma
By: Haley Taylor Schlitz
2015

2. Definitions
Asthma – is a disease that causes your airway to close and create more mucous which
makes breathing difficult or impossible.
The airway closes because the involuntary muscles inside of the walls of your trachea
and bronchi squeeze them closed. AND there is also a lot mucus produced that clogs
things up.
Finally, there is inflammation.
Inflammation is when many immune
cells that help your body fight bad
things actually move into an area and
the chemicals inside of these immune
cells cause swelling, and cause the
blood vessels to leak, making a huge
mess in the area where they are
located.

3. Symptoms
Asthma causes shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, chest pain, and fatigue.

4. Etiology
What causes asthma? Asthma is a disease that people are typically born with, although it can be
acquired later in life. Sometimes things in the environment can also cause asthma to develop in
people who have that predisposition.

5. Triggers
- are things that either cause
asthma, or cause it to worsen,
which is called an asthma attack
Examples: cock-roaches, viruses,
allergens, strong emotions, weather
changes, pollution, drugs and
medications, exercise, and even
hormones.

6. Risk Factors
How likely are you to have asthma? Increased risks include:
• being a smoker
• having a family history of asthma
• having a mother who smoked while pregnant with you
• being exposed to second-hand smoke
• living in polluted areas
• being in environments that have irritating chemicals and fumes
• having allergies.
Of note:
• 13% of Black children have asthma
• 8% of White children have asthma
• 8% of Hispanic have asthma
• 12% of American Indians and Alaskan Natives children have asthma

7. Diagnosis
How do the doctors discover you have asthma?
• First she will ask you and your parents lots of questions (take a medical history).
• Then she'll do a physical exam. Listen to your lungs.
• She may check your oxygen level with a pulse-oximeter.
• She may do lung and breathing tests called pulmonary function tests.
• She may do a trigger test, to try and see if certain things cause your asthma symptoms to
happen
• And the doctor will want to make sure that your problem isn't something other than asthma, so
she may do blood tests, or x-rays, or other tests to rule out other possibilities.
• Sometimes, the doctor may just treat the symptoms you are having LIKE its asthma. And if the
medication helps, they may decide that it IS asthma.
Have Diagnosis

8. What happens during an asthma attack?
Remember asthma is a disease
that causes:
• The smooth muscles in the airways
to get thick and squeeze the airway
close.
• Increase mucous production which
clogs up the airway.
• Inflammation which causes
immune cells to go to the area and
release chemicals that cause
swelling and fluid leakage, which
worsens.

9. Complications
Asthma can interfere with your life in many ways, such as:
• Sometimes result in frequent hospital and emergency room visits
• More doctor clinic visits
• Remembering to take the medications and dealing with side-effects of the medication.
• Limitation in your activity at times
• Everyone worries about you, so you may get less independence
• Lung infections can happen more often to you
• Missing school days and other extracurricular activities

10. Complications
Status Asthmaticus
• This complication can be life
threatening.
• This is when an asthma attack turns into
a very serious attack.
• It is the rapid worsening of asthma where
the airways close and very little air can
get to your lungs.
• Even after treatments, the airways
either stay closed, or continue to
close. This can cause you to lose the
ability to breathe, and die.

11. Treatment
How is Asthma Treated?
Treatment is based on the severity of your asthma.
• For MILD asthma a short-acting beta-agonist is used
when you feel symptomatic - this is like the normal
albuterol inhalers that are common.
• For more serious asthma different medications are
added, such as inhaled steroids used regularly, and not
just when you are having symptoms.
• For even more severe asthma there are stronger
medications used, and different combinations of the
medications are tried.
• Sometimes, in VERY severe asthma attacks (such as in
Status Asthmaticus) intubation is required to save
your life.

12. Medications
• beta2-adrenergic agonist
(Albuterol) - relieve the muscle spasm that
happens in the airway. They are used
during an attack. There are also long-acting
medications in this class that are used.
• anticholinergic agents
(ipratropium) - helps stop mucous which
clogs up the airway. may be added to beta2
-agonist therapy for acute exacerbations.
• corticosteroids
these can oral or inhaled
They are used for more severe symptoms and
when there is a need to prevent symptoms that
happen often. Steroids help reverse the
inflammation that makes the asthma worse.
• leukotriene receptor antagonists
stop the formation of leukotrienes. Leukotrienes
cause inflammation, so stopping their formation
helps to decrease inflammation.
• methylxanthines (Theophylline)
helps open the airway, helps them become less
sensitive, and helps decrease inflammation.
• mast cell stabilizers (cromolyn)
helps stop the inflammation.

13. Lifestyle Remedies
Lifestyle and home remedies
• Avoid your triggers
• Use the air-conditioner because it helps filter out the outside allergens. Also it helps dry the air
so mold or dust mites can't grow
• Don't let dust build up in your home or on your bed clothes
• Keep your room and house clean
• Get rid of cock-roaches
• Eat well and drink plenty of water
• Avoid sugar because sugar causes even more inflammation in our bodies
• Local raw honey can help because it soothes your throat and exposes you to a small dose of
allergen so your body gets used to it and learns to deal with it without a problem.
• Learn to relax
• Listen to your doctor
• Take your medications

14. Prevention
• Avoid known contributors such as smoking and exposure to smoke
• Treat your attack early before it gets out of hand
• Learn your body so you know when you are at risk for an attack

15. Finally a few interesting facts

16. Finally a few interesting facts

17. References
EPA Children's Environmental Health Disparities - Black and
African American children and asthma
http://www.epa.gov/epahome/sciencenb/asthma/HD_AA_Asth
ma.pdf
Mayo Asthma
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-
conditions/asthma/basics/definition/con-20026992
Asthma Allergy Foundation of America - Asthma Overview
http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=8&cont=7
What is meant by inflammation in asthma?
http://www.asthma.partners.org/newfiles/Inflammation.html
Inflammation and Asthma
http://www.gluegrant.org/inflammation-asthma.htm
Emedicine: Asthma
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/296301-overview
Lifestyle and Home Remedies for Asthma - American College of
Chest Physicians
http://www.chestnet.org/Foundation/Patient-Education-
Resources/Asthma/Lifestyle-and-Home-Remedies

18. Thanks for watching!
By: Haley Taylor Schlitz