Asthma Health Article

Severe asthma

Patients with severe asthma have ongoing, persistent symptoms of this disease. Severe attacks are rare, but much more serious, and can be life threatening.

Asthma episodes can vary from mild to severe attacks. The first signs of a mild or moderate attack could be a slight tightening of the chest, coughing, and spitting up of mucus. The patient may start wheezing as a result of trying to inhale and exhale through constricted air passageways.

Severe attacks can bring on a feeling of extreme tightening of the neck and chest, making breathing increasingly difficult. Patients may struggle to speak or breathe. In advanced stages of severe attacks, lips and fingernails may take on a grayish or bluish tinge indicating declining oxygen levels in the blood. Such attacks can be fatal in the absence of prompt medical attention.

Diagnosis

Medical diagnosis for asthma involves a complete physical checkup. One of the most important tests is the measurement of pulmonary (lung) function—the volume of air a patient can inhale (breathe in) and exhale (breathe out). Peak flow meters and spirometers are devices that are used to measure breathing efficiency and lung capacity.

The patient's history can also provide critical clues that can confirm a diagnosis of asthma and can help to identify the factors that contributed to the development of the disease. Doctors need to know about any patterns in the occurrence of symptoms (such as seasonal variations), when asthma symptoms first appeared, any connection between symptoms and exposure to possible allergens, any disturbances in sleep patterns, and the nature of previous illnesses. Other diagnostic tests may include x rays to eliminate other possible causes of airway obstruction (blockage) and allergy tests. Various blood tests may also be performed.

Early clues that indicate a patient may have asthma include difficulty in breathing, restlessness or persistent coughing while sleeping, general feeling of tiredness and lack of energy, a persistent stuffy nose, and frequent sneezing. Other signs are coughing or wheezing during or after physical activity and frequent colds that often involve chest congestion. Asthmatic patients are also more likely to develop other respiratory diseases such as pneumonia.