Asthma

Alternative Names

Symptoms

• Wheezing
  • Usually begins suddenly
  • Comes in episodes
  • May be worse at night or in early morning
  • Gets worse with cold aira, exercise, and heartburn (reflux)
  • May go away on its own
  • Is relieved by bronchodilators (drugs that open the airways)
• Cough with or without sputum (phlegm) production
• Shortness of breath that gets worse with exercise or activity
• Intercostal retractions (pulling of the skin between the ribs when breathing)

Emergency symptoms:

• Extreme difficulty breathing
• Bluish color to the lips and face
• Severe anxiety due to shortness of breath
• Rapid pulse
• Sweating
• Decreased level of alertness, such as severe drowsiness or confusion, during an asthma attack

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

• Nasal flaring
• Chest pain
• Tightness in the chest
• Abnormal breathing pattern --breathing out takes more than twice as long as breathing in
• Breathing temporarily stops

Exams and Tests

Allergy testing may be helpful in identifying allergens in patients with persistent asthma. Common allergens include pet dander, dust mites, cockroach allergens, molds, and pollens. Common respiratory irritants include tobacco smoke, pollution, and fumes from burning wood or gas.

The doctor will use a stethoscope to listen to the lungs. Asthma-related sounds may be heard. However, lung sounds are usually normal between asthma episodes.

Tests may include:

• Lung function tests
• Peak flow measurements
• Chest x-ray
• Blood tests, including eosinophil count (a type of white blood cell)
• Arterial blood gas

References

Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma -- Update on Selected Topics 2002. Bethesda, MD. 2003 June. National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. NIH publications 02-5074.