The most common agents that could trigger an asthmatic attack are respiratory tract infections with rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus. The other agents that could provoke an asthmatic attack include allergens such as pollens, animal dandruff, peanuts, cockroach droppings and drugs such as aspirin, and beta blockers.
The proper management of the asthma patient can help him live a normal life. There are certain measures in addition to the medications that can be equally helpful for the asthma patients. They are summarized below.
Try to identify and avoid any of the allergens that can cause or worsen the symptoms of asthma. The exact nature of the allergen can be determined by keenly observing what environmental or emotional factor lead to worsening of your asthma symptoms. There are certain specialized allergy skin tests that can also help to determine the triggers for your asthma. If the asthma is occurring in response to exercise you should avoid it or take the precautions as directed by your doctor.
One of the most important triggers for asthma is respiratory tract infections. Thus you are advised to avoid close contact with people suffering from common cold or flu as you may catch the infection leading to an asthmatic attack. By the same token if you develop sore throat of cough you should immediately contact a doctor.
The most important vaccines recommended for an asthmatic patient are pneumococcal vaccine and a yearly influenza vaccine.
They include drugs such as atenolol, propanolol and metaprolol. They can cause constriction of the bronchial smooth muscles and can therefore worsen the symptoms of asthma. They should better be avoided.
Aspirin is also found to trigger an episode of asthma and should therefore be avoided in such patients.
Quit Smoking
Smoking is found to worsen asthma. It holds true not only about the cigarette smoke but any kind of smoke including candles, and fires etc. Thus avoidance of smoke can result in a significant decrease in the frequency of asthma attacks.
Immunotherapy is a relatively new method of preventing asthma attacks due to allergens. The first step is to identify the agent causing asthma either by keen observation or lab tests. This is followed by separating an extract of triggering agent and injecting it beneath the skin with a gradual increase in the dose overtime. The aim is to make the body familiar to that agent and decrease the response upon future exposure thus reducing the frequency of asthma attacks and therefore the need of medications.
The use of immunotherapy is however limited by the increased risk of life threatening anaphylactic reaction and is therefore adapted only in the setting where measures to combat anaphylaxis is available.
The proper management of the asthma patient can help him live a normal life. There are certain measures in addition to the medications that can be equally helpful for the asthma patients. They are summarized below.
Identification and avoidance of asthma Triggers:
Try to identify and avoid any of the allergens that can cause or worsen the symptoms of asthma. The exact nature of the allergen can be determined by keenly observing what environmental or emotional factor lead to worsening of your asthma symptoms. There are certain specialized allergy skin tests that can also help to determine the triggers for your asthma. If the asthma is occurring in response to exercise you should avoid it or take the precautions as directed by your doctor.
Avoidance/Treatment of respiratory tract Infections
One of the most important triggers for asthma is respiratory tract infections. Thus you are advised to avoid close contact with people suffering from common cold or flu as you may catch the infection leading to an asthmatic attack. By the same token if you develop sore throat of cough you should immediately contact a doctor.
Vaccinations
The most important vaccines recommended for an asthmatic patient are pneumococcal vaccine and a yearly influenza vaccine.
Avoid Beta Blockers
They include drugs such as atenolol, propanolol and metaprolol. They can cause constriction of the bronchial smooth muscles and can therefore worsen the symptoms of asthma. They should better be avoided.
Avoid Aspirin
Aspirin is also found to trigger an episode of asthma and should therefore be avoided in such patients.
Quit Smoking
Smoking is found to worsen asthma. It holds true not only about the cigarette smoke but any kind of smoke including candles, and fires etc. Thus avoidance of smoke can result in a significant decrease in the frequency of asthma attacks.
Allergy Shots/ Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a relatively new method of preventing asthma attacks due to allergens. The first step is to identify the agent causing asthma either by keen observation or lab tests. This is followed by separating an extract of triggering agent and injecting it beneath the skin with a gradual increase in the dose overtime. The aim is to make the body familiar to that agent and decrease the response upon future exposure thus reducing the frequency of asthma attacks and therefore the need of medications.
The use of immunotherapy is however limited by the increased risk of life threatening anaphylactic reaction and is therefore adapted only in the setting where measures to combat anaphylaxis is available.