哮喘 is a chronic, inflammatory lung disease involving recurrent breathing problems. The characteristics of asthma are three airway problems:

• 阻塞

• 炎症

• 高反应性

哮喘的症状是什么?

哮喘的常见症状如下. 然而, each individual may experience symptoms differently.

在某些情况下, 唯一的症状是慢性咳嗽, 尤其是在晚上, 或紧张, 嘈杂的呼吸, 或喘息. Some people think they have recurrent 支气管炎, since respiratory infections usually settle in the chest in a person predisposed to asthma.

哮喘可能类似于其他呼吸系统疾病, 比如肺气肿, 支气管炎, 下呼吸道感染. Many people with asthma do not know they have it. 向你的医生咨询诊断.

引起哮喘的原因?

The basic cause of the lung abnormality in asthma is not yet known, although health care professionals have established that it is a special type of inflammation of the airway that leads to the following:

• 气道肌肉收缩

• 粘液生产

• 气道肿胀

It is important to know that asthma is not caused by emotional factors—as was commonly believed years ago. Emotional anxiety and nervous stress can cause fatigue, which may affect the immune system and increase asthma symptoms or aggravate an attack. 然而, these reactions are considered to be more of an effect than a cause.

哮喘发作时会发生什么?

People with asthma have acute episodes when the air passages in their lungs get narrower, 呼吸变得更加困难. These problems are caused by an oversensitivity of the lungs and airways:

• Lungs and airways overreact to certain triggers and become inflamed and clogged.

• 呼吸变得更加困难，可能会感到疼痛.

• 可能会咳嗽.

• There may be a wheezing or whistling sound, which is typical of asthma. 发生喘息是因为:

  • 气道周围的肌肉会收紧, and the inner lining of the airways swells and pushes inward.

  • Membranes that line the airways secrete extra mucus.

  • The mucus can form plugs that further block the air passages.

  • The rush of air through the narrowed airways produces the wheezing sounds.

哮喘发作的危险因素是什么?

Although anyone may have an asthma attack, it most commonly occurs in:

• 5至17岁的儿童和青少年

• 女性

• 居住在城市社区的人

• 接触烟草烟雾

其他因素包括:

• 哮喘家族史

• 个人过敏史

如何诊断哮喘??

To diagnose asthma and distinguish it from other lung disorders, doctors rely on a combination of medical history, 体格检查, 还有实验室测试, 这可能包括:

• 肺量测定法. A spirometer is a device used by your doctor that assesses lung function. 肺量测定法 is the evaluation of lung function with a spirometer. The test is performed by blowing as hard as possible into a tube connected to a small machine (a spirometer) that measures the amount of air breathed out and in as well as the speed it is breathed out. 这是最简单的一个, most common pulmonary function tests and may be necessary for any/all of the following reasons:

  • To determine how well the lungs receive, hold, and utilize air

  • 监测肺部疾病

  • 监测治疗效果

  • 确定肺部疾病的严重程度

  • To determine whether the lung disease is restrictive (decreased airflow) or obstructive (disruption of airflow)

• 峰值流量监测(PFM). A device is used to measure the fastest speed in which a person can blow air out of the lungs. 使用峰值流量计, a person takes a deep breath in and then blows as hard and fast as possible into a mouthpiece. 在哮喘或其他呼吸系统疾病发作时, the large airways in the lungs slowly begin to narrow. This will slow the speed of air leaving the lungs and can be measured by a PFM. This measurement is very important in evaluating how well or how poorly the disease is being controlled.

• 胸部x光检查. This diagnostic test uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, 骨头, 把器官放到胶片上.

• 血液测试. 血液测试 are used to analyze the amount of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood.

• 过敏测试.

哮喘的治疗方法是什么?

Specific treatment for asthma will be determined by your doctor based on:

• 你的年龄，整体健康状况和病史

• 你的症状

• 疾病的范围

• Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies

• 对疾病病程的预期

• 你的意见或偏好

到目前为止，还没有治愈哮喘的方法. 然而, it can often be controlled with prescription medications that may help to prevent or relieve symptoms, 通过学习如何管理情节.

如何管理哮喘?

People with asthma can learn to identify and avoid the things that trigger an episode. They can also educate themselves about medications and other asthma management strategies:

• 哮喘是一种慢性疾病. It has to be cared for all the time—not just when symptoms are present:

  • The four parts of continually managing asthma are:

    • Identify and minimize contact with asthma triggers.

    • 理解并遵医嘱服药.

    • Monitor asthma to recognize signs when it is getting worse.

    • 知道哮喘恶化时该怎么做.

• Working with a health care professional is the best way to take care of asthma.

• The more information a person with asthma has, the better asthma can be controlled.

哮喘治疗的四个组成部分

1. The use of objective measures of lung function—spirometry, peak flow expiratory flow rate—to access the severity of asthma, 并监测治疗过程.

2. The use of medication therapy designed to reverse and prevent the airway inflammation component of asthma, 以及治疗气道狭窄.

3. The use of environmental control measures to avoid or eliminate factors that induce or trigger asthma flare-ups, 包括免疫治疗的考虑.

4. Patient education that includes a partnership among the patient, family members, and the doctor.