Asthma Basics
Asthma is a chronic lung disease that causes these changes in your airways.
True or False: Asthma is not a chronic condition and is curable. It is very common in children, but most people outgrow it when they become adults.
False. People do not outgrow asthma. There is no cure for it. However, it can be controlled with proper medications and trigger control strategies.
Exposure to these things can cause sneezing, runny nose, coughing, hives, rashes, and/or itchy watery eyes in people who are sensitive to them. They are also very common asthma triggers.
What are allergens?
This type of medication is used as needed and works quickly to temporarily relieve sudden asthma symptoms.
What is a reliever or rescue medication
True or false: Asthma can be cured.
What is false. Asthma cannot be cured, but it can be controlled with the right medications and trigger mitigation strategies.
Inflammation and narrowing of the small airways cause these common asthma symptoms.
True or false: Asthma is just a psychological condition and does not cause physiological changes in the lungs that lead to asthma symptoms, like wheezing, coughing, chest tightness/pain, and difficulty breathing.
False. Asthma is not a psychological condition. It does cause physiological changes in the lungs, including inflammation, overproduction of mucus, and bronchospasm.
True or false: Allergic responses occur when the immune system mistakes harmless substances as harmful. The immune system releases chemicals that cause allergy signs and symptoms. For some people, this immune reaction also impacts the lungs and leads to asthma symptoms. This is known as allergic asthma.
What is true
This type of medication is often used daily (even in the absence of symptoms) and works slowly over a long period of time. It helps treat and prevent asthma symptoms.
What is a controller medication
This written treatment plan provides instructions and information on how to manage your asthma. It tells you what medications to take and when and when to seek emergency care, all based on your symptoms (and peak flow readings when appropriate). Your doctor can give you one. You should also give a copy to all caregivers and schools, school nurses, etc.
What is an Asthma Action Plan
These things can trigger an inflammatory response in the lungs and cause asthma episodes in people who are sensitive to them. They vary from person to person and include allergens, irritants, exercise, strong emotions, and weather changes.
What are asthma triggers.
True or false: Most people with asthma can exercise and play sports. They can lead healthy active lives when their asthma is controlled with the right medications and trigger control strategies.
True
These allergens most commonly trigger asthma.
What are dust, mold, pollen, and animal dander.
This device is a tube with a mouthpiece or a mask and should always be used with your metered-dose inhaler (MDI). It creates space between your MDI and your mouth. It also suspends the medication inside the tube so you can take your time inhaling it and so it deposits more deeply into your lungs.
What is a valved-holding chamber
True or false: You must take medicine all the time when you have asthma.
What is it depends on the severity of your asthma. Asthma is a chronic condition (which means you will have it all your life) that is controllable. Asthma is variable and presents differently from person to person. People also respond differently to medications and triggers. Some people must take a controller medication every day for years, some just need to take it seasonally, and some only need to take it for short periods of time on occasion throughout their lifetime.
This physiological response is common in people with asthma and in some who don’t have asthma. It is triggered by exercise or playing sports.
What is Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction (EIB)
True or false: Inhaled corticosteroids are the same as anabolic steroids used by some athletes. They build muscle tissue and increase body mass by acting like the body’s natural hormone testosterone.
False. Inhaled corticosteroids are not the same as anabolic steroids. They do not build muscle tissue/body mass. Inhaled corticosteroids mimic the natural steroids produced by your body and reduce swelling and overproduction of mucus in the lungs.
Although food allergies are not a common asthma trigger, foods that contain this ingredient have been known to cause asthma episodes in people who are sensitive them.
What are sulfites.
This medication combines an inhaled corticosteroid (Budesonide or Mometasone) and a long-acting bronchodilator (Formoterol) into one inhaler. It can be used as both a controller and a reliever.
Combination inhaler or SMART
Taking the right asthma medication, correctly as prescribed is an effective way to control asthma, but it doesn’t always control asthma on its own. Implementing this intervention in combination with taking your asthma medications is the most effective approach to asthma management.
What is identifying your triggers and implementing multi-component mitigation strategies
These are the 3 main categories of asthma medications.
What are controller medications, quick-relief medications, and combination medications that can be used as a controller and reliever.
True or false: Asthma is a potentially serious health condition that can cause death
True. Nearly 26 million Americans have asthma and about 10 people per day die from it. Additionally, direct and indirect costs related to asthma are about $56 billion. Direct costs include provider visits, hospital admissions, and medications. Indirect costs include lost work and school days.
These factors are known as the atopic march and increase your risk of allergic asthma.
What are family or personal history of allergies or eczema; family history of asthma.
To avoid thrush and other oral health complications, you should always do this after using an inhaled corticosteroid.
What is rinse your mouth
True or false: Asthma medications work in different ways. For example, quick-relief medications work fast and temporarily relax the muscles around the airways, which creates a bigger space to breathe. Controller medications work slowly over a long period of time and address the underlying issue of asthma by reducing swelling and inflammation inside the airways.
True