Issue 42.17
Asthma (from the GREEK word “panting”) is a condition in which your airways narrow, swell and produce extra mucus. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath.
It is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Usually its diagnosis is based on a pattern of symptoms, response to therapy over time and a breathing test commonly known as “spirometry”. Spirometry is a device your physician will have you blow into and it measures the air flow of exhaling the air back out of your lungs in 1 second and other factors your physician calculates from this test.
For some people, asthma is a minor nuisance. For others, it can be a major problem that interferes with daily activities and may lead to a life-threatening asthma attack.
Asthma can’t be cured, but its symptoms can be controlled. Because asthma often changes over time, it’s important that you work with your doctor to track your signs and symptoms and adjust treatment as needed. Symptoms can be prevented by avoiding triggers, such as allergens and irritants and by the use of inhaled corticosteroids.
Treatment of ”acute” symptoms, symptoms that come on very fast, can usually be treated with an inhaler commonly known as “albuterol” which is a beta-2 agonist and temporarily opens the airways making breathing easier. This is very common in exercise induced asthma and the athletes carry an inhaler with them to use at all times, or for patients that their asthma is not as severe. In more severe cases your provider may prescribe a daily medication commonly called “inhaled corticosteroid” or a long acting beta agonist or other types of asthma medications in combination to control asthma symptoms. In some cases, hospitalization may be required to control the asthma attack.
Chrysalis Clinical Research and Doctors in our area are conducting a research study for patients suffering from asthma. A clinical research study tests investigational medicines and helps doctors learn about medicines we already use.
If you are suffering from asthma and interested in learning more about the clinical trial please contact Chrysalis Clinical Research at 435-656-1704 or visit our website: sgccr.com
Other clinical trials Chrysalis and Doctors in our area are conducting are:
- Asthma
- Rhinosinusitis (runny nose) with Nasal polyps
- Sudden hearing loss
- Influenza (flu)