BRONCHIAL

ASTHMA
BY TRACY AVILA
ABOUT
Asthma, also called bronchial asthma, is a disease that affects your lungs. It's a
chronic (ongoing) condition, meaning it doesn't go away and needs ongoing medical
management.

Bronchial asthma (or asthma) is a lung disease. Your airways get narrow and swollen
and are blocked by excess mucus. Medications can treat these symptoms.
OVERVIEW
The normal airways of a person having an
asthma attack become constricted,
inflamed and full of mucus.
Asthma causes bronchospasms,
inflammation, thick mucus and
constriction in the airways.
WHAT IS ASTHMA
ATTACK?

When you breathe normally, muscles

around your airways are relaxed, letting air
move easily and quietly. During an asthma
attack, three things can happen:
 WHAT IS ASTHMA
ATTACK
Bronchospasm Inflammation Mucus production

The muscles around The lining of your airw ays becomes During the attack,
the airways constrict swollen. Swollen airways don’t let as your body creates
(tighten). When they much air in or out of your lungs. more mucus. This
tighten, it makes your thick mucus clogs
airw ays narrow. A ir airw ays.
cannot flow freely
through constricted
airw ays.
 WHAT TYPES OF ASTHMA ARE THERE?
Asthma is broken down into types based on the cause and the severity of symptoms.
Healthcare providers identify asthma as:

This type of asthma comes and goes so you can feel normal
Intermittent in between asthma flares.

Persistent asthma means you have symptoms much of the

Persistent
time. Symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe. Healthcare
providers base asthma severity on how often you have
symptoms. They also consider how well you can do things
during an attack.
 ASTHMA HAS MULTIPLE
CAUSES:
*Allergic: Some people’s allergies can cause an asthma
attack. Allergens include things like molds, pollens and pet
dander.

*Non-allergic: Outside factors can cause asthma to flare

up. Exercise, stress, illness and weather may cause a flare.
ASTHMA CAN ALSO BE:

Adult-onset
-This type of asthma starts after the age of 18.

Ped ia tric
-Also c a lle d c hildhood asthma, this type of asthma often
begins be fore th e a ge of 5, and can occur in infants and
toddle rs. Childre n may outgrow asthma. You should make
sure tha t you d isc uss it with your provider before you
dec ide whe the r your child needs to have an inhaler
ava ila ble in c a se they have an asthma attack. Your child’s
hea lth ca re p ro vide r can help you understand the risks.
STATISTICS
Accord in g to th e World Health
Org anization (WHO), 12% of
Ph ilip pine popu lation of 90
million have asthma; and
according to the Glob al
12%
Asthma R eport, ap pro ximately
1 ou t 1 0 Filipinos are suffering
fro m asthma.
TYPES OF ASTHMA
This type is triggered by
exercise and is also called
exercise-induced
This type happens when
you have both asthma
and chronic obstructive
This type of asthma happens
pulmonary disease
primarily to people who work
(COPD).
around irritating substances.

ASTHMA-COPD
EXERCISE-INDUCED OVERLAP
ASTHMA SYNDROME
OCCUPATIONAL (ACOS):
ASTHMA
 T HINGS THAT CAN
T RIGGER ASTHMA
ATTACK

AIR DUST MITES EXERCISE

POLLUTION
Ma ny th in gs ou tsid e
can ca use a n a sth ma
at tack . Air po ll ut io n
in cl ud es facto ry
emissi on s, car ex ha ust ,
wi ld fi re smo ke an d
more.
Yo u can ’t see th ese b ug s,
For some people,
b ut th ey are in o ur h omes.
If y ou h ave a d ust mit e exercising can cause
al lerg y, th is c an cau se an an attack.
ast hma at ta ck.
 T HINGS THAT CAN
T RIGGER ASTHMA
ATTACK

TOBACCO
MOLD PETS
Damp places can spawn
If SMOKE
you or someone in your
Yo u r p ets can cau se home smokes, you have a
mold, which can cause
ast hma at ta cks. If y ou ’re higher risk of developing
problems if you have asthma. You should never
al lerg ic to pe t d and er
asthma. You don’t even (dried ski n fl ake s), smoke in enclosed places
have to be allergic to b reat hi ng i n t he da nd er like the car or home, and
mold to have an attack. can i rrit ate yo ur ai rways. the best solution is to quit
smoking.
T HINGS THAT CAN
T RIGGER ASTHMA
ATTACK

STRONG CHEMICALS OR
SMELLS
These things can trigger attacks
in some people.
Certain occupational exposures.
You can be exposed to many
things at your job, including
cleaning products, dust from
flour or wood, or other
chemicals. These can all be
triggers if you have asthma.
 W HAT ARE THE SIGNS AND
SYMPTOMS OF ASTHMA?
People with asthma usually have obvious symptoms.

-Chest tightness, pain or pressure.

-Coughing (especially at night).
-Shortness of breath.
-Wheezing.
WHAT ASTHMA TREATMENT
OPTIONS ARE THERE?
*Bronc hodilators

These medic ine s rela x the muscles around your

airways. The relaxe d musc les le t the airways move
air. They also let muc us move more easily through
the a irwa ys. These me dicines re lieve your symptoms
whe n they ha ppen and are used for inte rmittent a nd
chronic a sthma .
WHAT ASTHMA TREATMENT
OPTIONS ARE THERE?
*Anti-infla mmatory medicine s

These medic ine s reduce swelling a nd mucus

production in your airwa ys. They make it easier for
air to ente r a nd exit your lungs. Your he althca re
provider may prescribe them to ta ke every day to
control or pre vent your symptoms of chronic a sthma .
WHAT ASTHMA TREATMENT
OPTIONS ARE THERE?

*Biologic therapies for asthma

These are used for severe asthma when symptoms

persist despite proper inhaler therapy.
THANK YOU