News-Sentinel.com

Thursday, 05/04/2000

ASTHMA: THE BATTLE TO BREATHE

What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic, incurable lung disease characterized by airway inflammation and temporary obstruction of airflow blocked by mucus. It affects 8 percent to 12 percent of all children.

The Clinton administration included $50 million in grants in the nation's 2000 budget for states to research the best way to improve the health of asthmatic children on the Medicaid program. The National Institutes of Health will spend an additional $118 million on asthma research this year.

Types of asthma

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute lists the following types, or promoters, of asthma:

* Exercise-induced

* Viral-induced

* Cold air or weather changes

* Allergy-induced, including occupational allergens, molds, drugs and foods

* Environmental-induced, including irritants such as smoke, pollution, strong odors, aerosols and dusts

* Endocrine-induced, such as pregnancy, menses, thyroid disease

* Emotional-induced, such as fear, anger, frustration, hard crying or laughing

* Environmental changes, such as moving to a new home; going on vacation; or alterations in the workplace, work processes or materials used

* Cardiogenic-related asthma, which is asthma caused by some types of heart disease.

Warning signs of an asthma attack:

An itchy throat or chin

Coughing or wheezing

A runny nose

Fatigue

Slight changes in breathing

Seek medical help when:

An attack can't be controlled within 30 minutes

There is chest pain

A respiratory infection develops

Oral temperature exceeds 100O F

There is shortness of breath

There is a low peak flow reading

There is difficulty completing a sentence without gasping for breath

Lips or fingernails turn blue