Medication Induced Asthma
Medication Induced Asthma
Medication Induced Asthma or Aspirin Induced Asthma: – Aspirin, most people don’t think twice about taking an aspirin under the prescription accordingly and it’s correct usage esp. when they have a headache,but for some people with inclusive of asthma, this unknown action can be fatal.
Aspirin and other Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory DrugS* or NSAIDS – such as ibuprofen ,naproxen and diclofenac – have been found to trigger asthma attacks in people who have asthma. The asthma attacks induced by aspirin and NSAIDS are mostly severe and can even be life threatening. The aspirin sensitivity generally increase as people age, and it is worse in people with more severe asthma.
This symptoms has been recognized for many years, but it was unclear how many people with asthma faced a risk when taking these commonly used medications until further research were done on it with exclusive results.
Further study published recently reviewed the studies done on aspirin induced asthma or AIA for short. The researchers were surprised to find that 5% of children with asthma and 21% of adults with asthma were susceptible to AIA.
The answers of this study showed importance because the people involved were actually challenged with aspirin in a controlled setting, which made for an accurate estimate of how many people are affected by AIA. The study conducted reduced the likelihood that people would attribute their asthma attack to the illness for which they were taking the aspirin, something the researchers concluded did happen very often.
As a matter of fact, the researchers found that when people were asked to report prior aspirin induced asthma attacks, the rate of positive responses was only 2.7%.
Asthma Attacks And Aspirin
Physicians and researchers on the first instance believed that this phenomenon was an allergic response to aspirin. However, it is now believed that aspirin causes asthma attacks in some people because the aspirin acts as a deregulator of leukotrienes (- are fatty molecules of the immune system that contribute to inflammation in asthma and allergic rhinitis. ) and many of the symptoms in asthma.
Aspirin Replacement For Asthmatics With AIA
People who have AIA are also at risk for asthmatic reactions to NSAIDS*, which are the medications often prescribed for people who are allergic to aspirin. Studies have shown that almost all people that is, between 93% to 100% who have AIA also have a negative reaction to NSAIDS. The possibility of suffering an asthma attack was greater in people who reacted to even small doses of aspirin.
Asthmatic patients with AIA were also tested to see how they would respond to Acetaminophen -Tylenol, another common aspirin replacement. With this medication, only 7% of people with AIA had an asthmatic reaction. Again, those who were most sensitive to aspirin were more likely to react to acetaminophen as well.
Another category of pain-reliever medications, the anti-inflammatory Cyclooxygenase-2 – [COX-2] inhibitors such as Celecoxib – [Celebrex], act on a more specific anti-inflammatory pathway than aspirin and NSAIDS. Because these drugs have a narrower target in the inflammatory pathway, they do not seem to have the same effect on people with asthma.
Although COX-2 inhibitors do not have the adverse effect of inducing asthma attacks such as aspirin and NSAIDS, the COX-2 inhibitory drugs can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. People who have AIA and who need an anti-inflammatory medication should consult with their medical professionals about the risks and benefits of Celecoxib (Cox-2 inhibitor (trade name Celebrex) that relieves pain and inflammation without harming the digestive tract).
Preventing And Treating -AIA
Asthmatics with AIA tend to develop symptoms within thirty minutes to two hours after taking aspirin or NSAIDS, and the resulting difficulty in breathing may last for several hours. Here again the treatment is the same as that for any acute asthma attack – short-acting beta-agonist medication, and oxygen and steroids for severe symptoms.
Leukotriene modifiers are another type of asthma medication that may improve symptoms in patients who have aspirin sensitivity. Because these medications stop the actions of leukotrienes, which have been shown to play a main role in AIA, these drugs, along with inhaled steroids, should be considered for maintenance therapy for those affected by AIA.
Normally to prevent medication induced asthma attacks is to completely avoid Aspirin and NSAIDS. People who have asthma and are not sure if they have reacted to aspirin in the past should ask their medical healthcare providers if it is safe to test for sensitivity to aspirin and NSAIDS. Importantly and cautiously this should be done only in a controlled setting because of the risk of severe reactions.
Asthmatics with known aspirin or NSAID sensitivity who need to take aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications for treatment of other conditions, such as heart disease or rheumatic diseases, are recommended to undergo aspirin desensitization(the process of reducing sensitivity). This can be done by medical professionals who specializes in allergies and immunology. Once this process has been conducted, it is essential that the person continue to take aspirin daily, so he will remain desensitized.:[LifeWire]:
Glucocorticoids Resistant Asthma
While the glucocorticoids (any of a group of corticosteroids (e.g., hydrocortisone) that are involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats and have anti-inflammatory activity) are one of the most potent anti-inflammatory drugs available and are normally very effective in the treatment of asthma, a small group of patients DO NOT respond to these medications and are often labeled as – steroid resistant.
Mimic Asthma
What is mimic asthma? All that wheezes is not asthma.When you experience chest wheezing, you want to make sure you are correctly diagnosed. Several diseases, both common and not so common, can cause wheezing.
Two common diseases that may seem like asthma because they can cause wheezing are COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, involving constriction of the airways and difficulty or discomfort in breathing) and vocal cord dysfunction (the vocal folds, also known commonly as vocal cords, are composed of twin infoldings of mucous membrane stretched horizontally across the larynx).
The above information provided are not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your Doctor or health care provider for advice about your specific Asthma medical condition.
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