Consequences of worsening bronchial asthma

Written by Xia Bao Jun
Pulmonology
Updated on September 03, 2024
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The consequences of exacerbated bronchial asthma can cause the patient to feel short of breath even at rest, exhibit orthopnea, and be able to speak only in single words or syllables. The patient may experience anxiety or irritability, sometimes accompanied by profuse sweating, and an increased respiratory rate which, if severe, can exceed 30 breaths per minute. There may also be activity of the respiratory muscles and signs of tracheal tugging, an increased heart rate exceeding 100 beats per minute, which in severe cases can surpass 120 beats. Additionally, there is a decrease in blood oxygen saturation, which can drop below 60%.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
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Can bronchial asthma be inherited?

The etiology of asthma is still very unclear, but genetics may indeed be related to bronchial asthma to some extent. Currently, a lot of research data indicates that the incidence rate of bronchial asthma is higher among the relatives of patients than in the general population, and the closer the familial relationship, the higher the incidence rate and potentially more severe the condition could be. In layman's terms, this means that if our parents have bronchial asthma, then the likelihood of their children having bronchial asthma is higher than in the general population. However, this is not absolute; it does not mean that if a parent has bronchial asthma, their children will definitely have it. The relationship is not very certain, and the genes related to bronchial asthma are also not very clear at present. Bronchial asthma is also related to many other factors.

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Written by An Yong Peng
Pulmonology
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Does bronchial asthma have wheezing sounds?

During an acute attack of bronchial asthma, patients often have wheezing sounds in their lungs, but it's important to note that some patients may not exhibit wheezing, such as those with chest tightness or cough variant asthma, who only show symptoms of chest tightness and typically do not have wheezing on auscultation. However, administering inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators can relieve their condition. Additionally, during a severe acute attack of bronchial asthma, severe airway spasms can occur, leading to a situation where the patient might not have any wheezing sounds, a condition referred to as "silent lung." In such cases, patients often experience difficulty breathing or even respiratory distress, which is usually quite serious and requires active intervention.

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Written by An Yong Peng
Pulmonology
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The difference between bronchial asthma and pulmonary emphysema.

Bronchial asthma and emphysema are two different diseases. Bronchial asthma typically manifests as episodic coughing, chest tightness, and wheezing. Patients often develop this condition in childhood and adolescence, and it is relatively rare in the elderly. Emphysema, on the other hand, is often related to long-term smoking and is usually seen in middle-aged and older patients. Early stages of emphysema may only be evident on a chest CT and may not show significant symptoms of chest tightness. However, as the disease progresses, patients often experience noticeable chest tightness and difficulty breathing, and the condition tends to progressively worsen. Patients typically eventually develop complications such as chronic respiratory failure and chronic pulmonary heart disease. Therefore, the characteristics of bronchial asthma and emphysema are different. However, it is important to note that in patients with bronchial asthma, if the condition is not controlled and continues to progress, it might also lead to the development of emphysema, chronic respiratory failure, pulmonary heart disease, and other related conditions.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
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Which department should I go to for bronchial asthma?

In our common areas, we would visit the Department of Respiratory Medicine for conditions such as bronchial asthma, which is a respiratory system disease. The Department of Respiratory Medicine is the most specialized department for treating bronchial asthma. However, in some areas, such as those below the county level like town health centers or community clinics, a respiratory medicine department might not be available. In such cases, we can only visit the general internal medicine department, also known as the major internal medicine department. Generally, bronchial asthma is treated in the outpatient clinics of these departments. However, if an acute attack of bronchial asthma occurs, causing breathing difficulties and a sudden exacerbation of the condition, it then becomes necessary to visit the emergency medicine department. Emergency doctors will handle the situation and then decide whether the patient should continue treatment under observation in the emergency department or need hospitalization, etc.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
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Is bronchial asthma curable?

Bronchial asthma is treatable, although so far we have not found a cure for bronchial asthma, bronchial asthma can be well controlled in most patients if treated in a standard way at regular hospitals, preventing recurrent asthma attacks. However, if the treatment of bronchial asthma is unstandardized, or if one relies on folk remedies or traditional secret recipes and does not receive standardized treatment at a regular hospital, it may lead to recurrent asthma attacks and extremely poor prognosis.