Thursday, September 1, 2011

asthma control

The diagnosis of bronchial asthma for many people is alarming at first. But today it is possible for most children and adults with asthma to lead a normal life (with activities and sports, even competitive sports), when the disease is well controlled and shows a stable performance.
Asthma can be well controlled today by a continuous therapy in collaboration with the physician and by a targeted self-management.
The doctors periodically check the patient in a controlled, a partially controlled or uncontrolled asthma has.
With a well-controlled asthma, the symptoms during the day should not or only very rarely occur at night should definitely insist on freedom from symptoms (eg, no shortness of breath). Bronchodilator medications (eg asthma sprays) are ideally not be used. With good asthma control activities are not restricted, and the lung function showed normal values. Increase in symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, decreased lung function values ​​always show a worsening of the disease, to a partial or uncontrolled asthma.
Therefore learn in training asthma patients to recognize these warning signs and respond accordingly. The control of asthma is through the regular use of drugs that relieve specific inflammatory responses in the bronchi (long-term medications such as inhaled cortisone) and by drugs that are used to bronchodilator as needed (emergency or need medications such as bronchial asthma sprays).
The drugs and their dosages may vary during the course of the disease, since they may need to be adapted to the disease status of the patient. Thus, for example - limited - to change the medication if the patient's asthma, acute cold exists.
The goal of drug treatment is to keep the complaints to a minimum and achieve at least ideally, a well-controlled asthma with the least possible amount of medication.
Self-control
A tool for self-control of asthma is the measurement of peak flows. The peak flow is the peak flow during exhalation. This means that the peak-flow measurement, the highest current strength of the exhalation breath is measured.
A peak flow meter is a simple lung function device whose values ​​(entered in an asthma diary) are used for self-control and provide the physician with important information that you receive the correct medication and proper dosage. Especially with drug or dosage change of this makes sense, since the effect or non-action can be documented and an optimal setting is possible.
In bronchial asthma, the disease can be very volatile. For this reason, the asthma patient should be used daily (two to three times) to perform a peak-flow measurement and record the results in an asthma diary.
If the peak flow value measured at 80-100 percent of your best value is all right.
The value is only 60 - 80 percent of the best value you have to be active. Arrange for example, a short-term appointment with your doctor to clarify why have your asthma worse values. Increase the dose of your medication, in the example you three times a day to take your inhaled steroids.
If your peak flow value less than 60 percent of your personal best is Red Alert! Find a doctor quickly. Their peak flow measured over the best value you as symptom-free period. They measure the duration of two weeks to four times daily until your peak flow value and hold the highest value of this phase as a personal best value. At this value, aligns your further asthma management. Your doctor will work together with you, which peak flow value, an increase or change in your medication does.

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