Though warm weather is a welcome change after a long, cold winter, for people with asthma it marks a transition into "high-alert" mode. The summertime triggers of pollens, air-conditioning, high humidity and smog can cause an asthma attack, and even hospitalization for those who are most sensitive.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, asthma is one of the most common health conditions in the country, afflicting more than 20 million Americans. In 2000, nearly 5,000 Americans died from asthma. The American Lung Association reports that over the past 10 years asthma prevalence has almost doubled, and in the past year alone 10.5 million people suffered an asthma attack.
"With the added seasonal risk of increased exposure to triggers, it is critical that asthma patients pay close attention to any warning signs and keep in touch with their physician," says Anne Dixon, M.D., assistant professor of medicine and director of clinical research at the Vermont Lung Center at the University of Vermont. "If a patient suffers an attack, the best course of action is to take his or her prescribed medication and get emergency medical help immediately."
Dr. Dixon offers the following tips and guidelines to help patients keep attacks at bay:
Tried-and-True Tips for Avoiding a Summer Asthma Attack* Develop a plan for an asthma attack and see your doctor regularly, as your asthma can change over time.* Know your triggers -- such as smoke, pollens and pets -- and avoid them.* Maintain your medication schedule -- even if you're busy or not feeling ill.* Don't take cough medicine to treat your asthma symptoms; take only medicines prescribed by your doctor.* Get educated about asthma, its treatment, and important clinical research underway.
Asthma Attack Warning Signs Contact your doctor as soon as possible if you experience any of these symptoms:* Difficulty breathing in the middle of the night* Wheezing when you breathe* Difficulty performing regular activities during the day* A need to take more medicine than your doctor has prescribed* Reduced effectiveness from the medicines your doctor has prescribed
For the one-third of asthma sufferers whose asthma is not well controlled, regardless of the season, clinical research offers hope. At the Vermont Lung Center and American Lung Association Asthma Clinical Research Center at the University of Vermont, research is underway in several areas. Current studies include a comparison of three different asthma medications in reducing the number and severity of asthma attacks in people with mild to moderately severe asthma; looking at how airway cells in asthmatics influence lung inflammation; and the effects of drug presentation and education on the efficacy of montelukast and placebo in asthma.
For more information about asthma research at the University of Vermont, go to www.med.uvm.edu/vermontlung. To obtain more information about asthma symptoms, treatment and research, visit the American Lung Association's website at http://www2.lungusa.org/asthma.
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