Asthma

Researchers have found a previously unknown biological pathway explaining why influenza induces asthma attacks.

Overview

Asthma is a disease with symptoms of recurrent tight chest, wheezing or cough, triggered by different stimuli (allergens, cold air, smoke ect) that respond to reliever pumps or nebulisers. It is however also important to note that the disease involves two major elements: chronic inflammation of the airways as well as episodic tightness in the chest (bronchoconstriction). The airways of asthma sufferers become ‘twitchy” (hyper-responsive) and react very easily to these triggers by closing up (bronchoconstriction). Because the underlying airway inflammation CAUSES the bronchial hyper-responsiveness, the main focus of treatment has shifted to effective and daily control of the chronic and continuous airway inflammation (controller therapy), with relief of bronchoconstriction as the “add-on” and “as-needed” treatment. If an asthma patient suffers even a single severe acute asthma attack per year, his/her asthma is not regarded as under control, and treatment should be re-evaluated and adjusted.