Ashwin Kumar

January 17, 2010

Home remedies for Asthma

Many people are falling prey to asthma problem. It is here where home remedy for asthma comes to play a major role in helping people fight this chronic lung disease in a natural manner. Most people resort to asthma home remedy treatment, as it doesn’t have any side effects and thus is completely safe for
human body.
Here are presented a few effective asthma cure home remedies:

  • Take 1 tsp honey and ½ tsp cinnamon powder and mix them well before consuming.
  • For people who are in their early stages of asthma, a perfect home remedy is to boil 8-10 cloves of garlic in ½ cup of milk and consume it during nighttime.
  • Take very hot water and add a tsp of honey in it. Consume it just before sleeping  and take small sips.
  • In 1 cup of water soak 1 tsp of Fenugreek seeds overnight. Strain. Add 1 tsp of Ginger juice and 1 tsp of honey to this.
  • It has to be consumed twice during morning as well as evening.

Drugs used to treat Asthma

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The drugs used to treat asthma fall into two broad categories: controllers to prevent acute attacks and relievers that check acute symptoms when they occur. Some drugs do both.
Corticosteroids–marketed under numerous brand names, including Aerobid, Azmacort, Vanceril, Flovent and Pulmicovt–as the most effective agents for controlling airway inflammation and thus preventing acute asthma attacks.
Corticosteroids in pill or tablet form (such as Medrol) and in liquid form for children (such as Pediapred and Prelone) are prescribed for some patients with severe asthma.
Other inhaled anti-inflammatory controller drugs include Intal (cromolyn sodium), which is useful in preventing asthma brought on by exercise, and Tilade (nedrocromil sodium).
A new class of oral anti-inflammatory controller drugs acts by blocking a certain part of the inflammation pathway. This class of “anti-leukotriene” drugs include Zyflo (zileuton), Accolate (zafirlukast) and Singulair (montelukast).
Long-acting inhaled bronchodilators, such as Serevent (salmeterol), and long-acting oral bronchodilators, such as Alupent (metaproterenol), Proventil (albuterol sulfate), Theo-24 (theophylline anhydrous), and many others, are often used in conjunction with anti-inflammatory agents to control symptoms. They don’t provide immediate relief of symptoms, but their preventive action persists for many hours, which makes them useful in controlling attacks that might occur during hours of sleep.
Drugs to bring quick relief in acute asthma attacks are chiefly short-acting inhaled bronchodilators that act rapidly but for a relatively brief time to relax bronchial constriction. There are many short-acting bronchodilators to chose from, including Alupent or Metaprel (metaproterenol), Brethaire (terbutaline), and Ventolin or Proventil (albuterol). Although these drugs are effective in treating asthma, there is some controversy about their safety, especially when they are overused.

Scientific debate makes it clear, however, that an increasing need for inhaled bronchodilators, or a decreasing response to each dose, is a signal that the patient’s asthma is not being adequately controlled. Patients who have an increasing need for short-acting inhaled bronchodilators should be reevaluated promptly by their physicians.


July 5, 2009

Diagnosis and Treatment of Asthma

DIAGNOSIS:
a physician can diagnose asthma on the basis of typical findings in a patient’s clinical history and examination. Asthma is strongly suspected if a patient suffers from eczema or other allergic conditions—suggesting a general atopic constitution—or has a family history of asthma. While measurement of airway function is possible for adults, most new cases are diagnosed in children who are unable to perform such tests. Diagnosis in children is based on a careful compilation and analysis of the patient’s medical history and subsequent improvement with an inhaled bronchodilator medication. In adults, diagnosis can be made with a peak flow meter (which tests airway restriction), looking at both the diurnal variation and any reversibility following inhaled bronchodilator medication.
TREATMENT:
treatment Currently available long-acting beta2-adrenoceptor agonists include salmeterol, formoterol, bambuterol, and sustained-release oral albuterol. Combinations of inhaled steroids and long-acting bronchodilators are becoming more widespread; the most common combination currently in use is fluticasone/salmeterol (Advair in the United States, and Seretide in the United Kingdom). Another combination is budesonide/formoterol which is commercially known as Symbicort.


What is Asthma its causes signs and symptoms

ASTHMA:
Asthma is defined simply as reversible airway obstruction. Asthma is a chronic condition involving the respiratory system in which the airway occasionally constricts, becomes inflamed, and is lined with excessive amounts of mucus.The airway constriction responds to bronchodilators.
CAUSES:
These episodes may be triggered by such things as exposure to an environmental stimulant (or allergen) such as cold air, warm air, perfume,[3] moist air, exercise or exertion, or emotional stress. In children, the most common triggers are viral illnesses such as those that cause the common cold.The hygiene hypothesis is a theory about the cause of asthma and other allergic disease, and is supported by epidemiologic data for asthma.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:
This airway narrowing causes symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. The airway constriction responds to bronchodilators. Between episodes, most patients feel well but can have mild symptoms and they may remain short of breath after exercise for longer periods of time than the unaffected individual.
During very severe attacks, an asthma sufferer can turn blue from lack of oxygen, and can experience chest pain or even loss of consciousness. Just before loss of consciousness, there is a chance that the patient will feel numbness in the limbs and palms may start to sweat.


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