Managing asthma

            Asthma is a chronic disease whose symptoms vary over time depending on the individual as well as the environment and circumstances one is in. since the effects that the disease has on the individual may be different depending on what the individual is experiencing, it requires people with asthma to constantly keep track of the disease so as to know what measures to take in order to effectively manage the condition. Patients should therefore use long and short term treatment methods to help manage the disease and lead a normal life if well managed. Although the treatment and control methods have significant results when it comes to controlling the disease, they also have side effects that patients must consider before determining the correct control and treatment method to use.

Long term treatments are ideal for people with asthma symptoms occurring more than twice a week. The long term treatments function by reducing swelling and also relaxing the muscle bands around the airways. They are classified into two groups namely, anti-inflammatory drugs and bronchodilators (AAAAI, 2019. The anti-inflammatory drugs make it easier to breath by reducing the swelling and mucus in the airways and they consist of inhaled corticosteroids and cromolyn sodium to mention a few. Corticosteroids, like Mometasone and Flunisolide, work by preventing the symptoms of asthma before they start rather than relieving them (AIM, 2019). Cromolyn sodium on the other hand works by reducing the amount of swelling in the airways when the individual is exposed to asthma triggers and therefore aids in breathing.

Quick relief medication consists of Ipratropium which aids in breathing by relaxing airways and Corticosteroids which reduce swelling in the airways. While corticosteroids are highly effective for severe asthma attacks, they have serious side effects and should therefore be taken for short periods and only to treat severe attacks (NAEPP, 2007). Another treatment option is immunotherapy which targets allergies that trigger the asthma. The medication is given in the form of tablets or injections that make the body less sensitive to allergies and therefore reduces the number of things that act as triggers. It is however important to consider the effects that the treatment methods have on the patient when managing the condition so as to avoid some side effects such as slowed growth rate in children who use corticosteroids.

The harmful side effects of asthma treatments can be regulated using the stepwise approach. The method works by regulating the frequency in which treatments are administered. Since the ailment may vary in severity depending on the triggers present and the patient, stepwise enables caregivers or the patient to either increase or lower the treatments according to the severity of the asthma (AIM, 2019). Stepping up the dosage and treatments helps the patient to regain control of the disease while stepping down prevents unnecessary treatments and their side effects. Patients must therefore come up with ways to assess the severity of the disease on different occasions so as to use the appropriate dosage when seeking treatment.

The stepwise management approach helps patients and health care providers to better manage the condition as it adds more clarity on the patient’s medical condition. Patients are required to keep record of the symptoms, triggers and other relevant factors that make it easier to determine whether to increase or lower the medication. In doing so, both the patient and the caregiver learn more about the asthma and what the patient can do to overcome triggers and also how to better manage the condition. Reducing the medication needed also cuts down on the side effects brought about by certain medical treatments and therefore makes it easy to manage the condition. The stepwise method is therefore ideal and should be used to not only manage asthma but also help patients lead normal, healthier, lives.

References

American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, (2019) “The Stepwise approach for Asthma control” retrieved from, https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/asthma-library/follow-stepwise-approach-for-asthma-control

Asthma Institute of Michigan, (2019) “Long term control medications used to treat asthma”         retrieved from, https://getasthmahelp.org/ltc-medications.aspx

National Asthma Education and Prevention Program, (2007) “Stepwise approach in managing     asthma in youths 12 years of age and adults” NCBI, retrieved from, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK7222/