Asthma Interesting Facts And Recent Trends

The condition is known to exist since ancient times. The Egyptian Papyruses are found to contain the written prescription of heating and inhaling some herbal mixtures as treatment of it. The term ‘Asthma’ is derived from Greek word ‘aazein’ meaning ‘panting’ i.e. rapid shallow breathing; a characteristic feature of asthma.

There are certain myths associated with the disease, like, it is a psychological disorder and the sufferer can produce the attack in order to gain attention. Asthma could be caught from the person who is suffering from it. The patient taking treatment of asthma becomes an addict of the medication and many others. All of these are just myths with no logical basis.

From past to present in different phases of understanding by clinicians, the disease, on one hand has been tried to be treated with anti depressants and with owl’s blood mixed with wine, on the other. But ultimately found to be an inflammatory disease of airways resulting in chest tightness, a wheeze or whistling sound with breathing and coughing.

These symptoms appear when the susceptible persons are exposed to certain trigger factors. Most commonly these triggers are present in the form of allergens in air pollutants, dust mites, pollen, pets, synthetic carpets, curtains, and certain processed foods. As a result of hypersensitivity to these allergens immune cells present in lining of airways, secrete excessive secretions hence the airways become swollen and narrowed. The tightening of small muscles around airways also contributes in narrowing the passages. As a result, breathing becomes difficult specially exhaling.

Around 235 million people worldwide are suffering from asthma and about 255,000 die of it annually. Asthma had once been a disorder of upper class and was common in the developed world. During the last few years, asthma has taken the form of almost an epidemic in lower middle class belonging to developing countries of Third World. In Pakistan nearly two million people are suffering from the disease of which 20 to 30 per cent are children. This number has been estimated to rise five per cent annually. The number of new cases and the yearly rate of hospitalisation for asthma has increased up to 30% over the past 20 years. Even with advances in treatment, asthma deaths among young people have more that doubled.

 There are certain aspects of the modern environment that are acting as contributing factors for the rise in prevalence worldwide. This includes
Industrialisation resulting in increased air pollution.

Excessive use of processed foods which contains chemicals (allergens) as preservatives.

Centrally heated and double-glazed houses (ideal breeding grounds for house dust mites).

Use of synthetic materials in carpets, curtains, brushes and brooms, etc.

Though asthma like other allergic tendencies are inherited and tends to run in families yet the rise in occurrence of asthma specially in children is reported to be associated with certain risk factors like

Exposure to allergens during pregnancy (for example from foods in the mother’s diet) that may sensitise the unborn baby’s immune system.

Low vitamins E, C and A intake during pregnancy is likely to be associated with development of asthma in the baby born by the age of five with poor lung function.

Infections such as colds during early life that cripple the baby’s immune system.

Being born at a time of year when the pollen count is high.

Being exposed to cigarette smoke in the uterus or early life – babies whose mothers smoke are twice as likely to develop asthma.

Keeping the increasing load of the disease and the abovementioned observations regarding the association of certain risk factors with development of asthma in view, the scientists are searching for better and more effective ways to treat rather prevent asthma in addition to the routine treatment options like inhalers (bronchodilators) etc. In this regard one is to determine the genes involved in asthma that may eventually lead to a cure.

An interesting research is being conducted in UK. That is, the scientists have made “super-soups” by judicious tweaking of ingredients for expecting mothers.
These super soups are made from natural resources and are rich in certain elements whose association is observed in less development of asthma.

These super nutritious soups will be given to expecting mothers three times a week and the results would be recorded in the new borns accordingly. Lets see how well the experiment works. We might then get an easy and effective way of preventing asthma.