Accurate diagnosis and management of habitual coughing asthma for unknown reasons is key
Health Korea News / Hae-ri Lim] There are quite a few patients who suffer from a cough that does not normally exist for an unknown reason. Looking at the increase in prevalence in Korea, it is approximately 3.2% to 4.7%, increasing among children and the elderly. If other symptoms such as chest pain, foreign body sensation, or wheezing sound appear along with coughing, it is a good idea to get an accurate diagnosis. It might be asthma. Learn about asthma with the help of Park Soon-young, a specialist in respiratory medicine at Yuseongseon Hospital.
Asthma is characterized by increased airway hyperresponsiveness, a phenomenon in which airway constriction occurs in normal people even with subtle and small stimuli. This is a disease in which variable expiratory airflow limitation, that is, the process of narrowing and widening the bronchi, sometimes occurs. Risk factors are divided into causative factors and symptom-causing factors, and some are involved in both the occurrence and symptom development of asthAsthma is usually diagnosed by characteristic symptoms and variable expiratory airflow limitation, and is confirmed by a response test when using bronchodilators or other tests. At the diagnosis stage, trigger factors and concomitant diseases that may worsen asthma are evaluated through examination and history taking. Severity can change over time, and it is important to distinguish between severe asthma and uncontrolled asthma.
In asthma control, in addition to symptom control, inhalant use skills, treatment compliance, side effects, comorbidities, and future risks must be evaluated. Asthma symptom control is achieved when there are no daytime asthma symptoms (less than twice per week), no restrictions on daytime activities, no nighttime asthma symptoms, and normal lung function is maintained without the use of additional symptom relievers (less than twice per week). In addition to symptom control, the risk of future worsening must be assessed. Exacerbation risk refers to one or more exacerbations in the previous year, poor medication compliance, incorrect inhaler technique, low lung function, smoking, eosinophilia, presence of fixed airflow limitation, and presence of side effects from medicationPark Soon-young, specialist in respiratory medicine at Yuseongseon Hospital
Park Soon-young, specialist in respiratory medicine at Yuseongseon Hospital
Specialist Park Soon-young said, “If you are diagnosed with asthma, the most useful indicator of future risk is lung function,” and lung function needs to be evaluated at the time of diagnosis, 3-6 months after treatment, and periodically thereafter. “If symptoms and lung function do not match, additional tests are needed,” he said. A patient may have characteristics of both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This is referred to as asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and consideration is given to prescribing a bronchodilator containing a combination of inhaled steroids.s.ma
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