Drug triggers and their control to improve asthma management:
Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by airway obstruction, inflammation, and hyperresponsiveness to stimuli. Identifying and avoiding these triggers is essential for asthma management.
Common asthma triggers include respiratory tract infections, airborne allergens (in patients with allergic asthma), respiratory irritants such as cigarette smoke, extremely cold or hot temperatures, high humidity, and physical activity. Some medications can also make asthma worse. Among the most important of these drugs are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and beta-blockers.
Aspirin and NSAIDs:
About 20 percent of adults with asthma are allergic to aspirin or a group of pain relievers called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAID products include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. These drugs are often used to treat pain and reduce fever.
Older people with more severe asthma may be more sensitive to these drugs. Also, about 30 to 40 percent of people who have both asthma and nasal polyps are allergic to aspirin/NSAID.
Allergy to these drugs in people with asthma can cause allergy symptoms such as cough and wheezing. Some people may also experience hives and facial swelling. Cause and effect is not always clear because an allergic reaction to an NSAID can occur about 2 hours later. If a reaction to these drugs occurs, medical attention should be sought immediately, and after that, aspirin or any other NSAID should not be used without a doctor’s permission. Be careful that if you have had an allergic reaction to one of these drugs (aspirin, ibuprofen, celecoxib, naproxen, etc.), you will probably have a similar reaction to other drugs.
Usually, the possibility of using drugs is not a problem in patients where these drugs have never provoked asthma, but due to the fact that this reaction can occur at any time, caution is always necessary.
Pain relievers and other alternative relievers:
Acetaminophen:
Acetaminophen is a safer alternative for people with asthma with a history of aspirin sensitivity. Aspirin-sensitive people should read the leaflets of all over-the-counter medications used to treat pain, colds, flu, and fever, and should also inform their doctor so that more appropriate medications can be prescribed.
Ice pack compress:
For acute injuries such as ankle sprains or pain
Swelling can reduce swelling and reduce pain.
Heat compress:
A hot towel or heating pad can be helpful in treating chronic overuse injuries. (However, you shouldn’t use heat on recent injuries.)
physical activity:
Physical activity can help reduce some types of discomfort, such as arthritis pain.
Nerve soothing techniques:
Techniques such as yoga, meditation, and biofeedback may also help, especially for pain made worse by stress, such as tension headaches.
Other techniques such as acupuncture and massage are also helpful for some people.
Beta blockers:
Beta-blockers are drugs that are used to treat several conditions, including cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, migraine headaches, and in the form of eye drops for glaucoma. Non-selective beta-blockers (such as propranolol) may cause airflow limitation and reduce the effectiveness of anti-asthma drugs. Although selective beta blockers are relatively safer, these drugs may also cause problems in patients with severe asthma.
For this reason, the use of these drugs in patients with asthma must be with the doctor’s knowledge so that the doctor can determine the need for these drugs according to the conditions of each patient. It is important to tell your doctor that you have asthma. This includes your eye doctor.
tip:
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACEi) inhibitors, such as captopril, are another type of medication used to treat heart disease and high blood pressure. These drugs may cause cough in about 10% of patients who use them. This cough is not necessarily asthma, but it can be mistaken for asthma. In some rare cases, these drugs may reduce asthma control. So if you are prescribed an ACE inhibitor and develop a cough, talk to your doctor.
The list of medications used in patients with asthma should be carefully reviewed to avoid the use of medications that may aggravate asthma symptoms. Also, awareness of asthma triggers can help patients manage asthma.