Asthma is a chronic disease and usually episodic. This is the most severe form of allergy. Increased sensitivity of the bronchi to various environmental influences leads to chronic inflammation.
The disease can be hereditary or acquired. We will consider bronchial asthma - pathogenesis, clinic, treatment of this disease. All this is very important to know and study well if there is a person in the family suffering from this pathology.
Basic concepts
This is a serious pathology that prevents normal breathing due to narrowed paths leading to the lungs. Attacks can go away on their own, but in a more severe farm, only medications help. What is the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma? The scheme of the disease is such that due to an excess of mucus produced, spasms and inflammatory edema, the walls of the bronchus thicken, and the gap between them narrows. As a result, there is not enough air intake, which leads to systematic attacks of choking, coughing, wheezing and other striking symptoms of asthma.
FromThis disease suffers, according to statistics, 5% of the European population, predominantly young. As a rule, these are children under 10 years old. Despite the fact that medicine is constantly exploring this pathology associated with bronchial hyperactivity, the causes of its development, treatment and prevention are still not fully understood. The etiology and pathogenesis of bronchial asthma often baffle scientists. But how does this disease develop?
Pathogenesis of bronchial asthma
Pathogenesis - the mechanism of disease development - consists of 2 stages:
- Immunological. When an excitatory allergen enters the immune system, inflammation of the mucous membrane occurs.
- Pathophysiological. The natural reaction of the bronchi to the inflammatory process occurring in the body.
The mechanism of the appearance of bronchospasm is built as follows: for a long time, the mucosa of the bronchial tree is influenced by an irritant. The mucosa swells, and hypersecretion occurs, which causes seizures. What happens to the body when asthma develops?
Pathogenesis is accompanied by the following disorders:
- Hyperestrogenemia, leading to an increase in the activity of α-adrenergic receptors and a decrease in the efficiency of β-adrenergic receptors. With external exposure to the allergen, bronchospasm develops simultaneously with these processes.
- Glucocorticosteroid deficiency increases the level of histamine and the tone of the bronchi, which become sensitive to stimuli.
- Hyperthyroidism. The disease worsens and develops rapidly in people who haveincreased amount of thyroid hormones.
The pathogenesis of bronchial asthma is determined as a result of clinical and pathological examination. Changes occurring in the body can be both internal and external. External factors that influenced the development of pathology:
- psycho-emotional state;
- stress;
- physical activity;
- exposure to allergens;
- effect of chemical irritants;
- unfavorable climate.
Internal factors:
- disturbances in the endocrine system;
- poor immunity;
- bronchial hyperactivity.
House dust is one of the main provocateurs that leads to asthma. It contains many microorganisms that are strong allergens.
Severity of seizures
Despite the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma and the course of the disease, it is necessary to take immediate action. The attack may be brief or last for several hours. After it, the patient becomes much better, and it seems that he is completely cured.
It all depends on the phase of the disease. The person may experience mild airway obstruction. The severe stage can manifest itself within a few days and drag on for weeks. This form is called status asthmaticus. Such outbreaks are very dangerous and can be fatal.
For each form of pathogenesis there arepathogenic mechanisms. Of the general ones, one can single out a change in the reactivity and sensitivity of the bronchi, assessed in response to physical or pharmacological effects.
When the cause is heredity
A person with a genetic predisposition to asthma may never feel it, or it will make itself felt at any age:
- 50% - children's age (under 10);
- 30% - up to 40 years old;
- 20% - after 50 years.
The hereditary factor is the fundamental cause of the development of the disease. If the parents suffered from asthma, then the probability that the disease will be transmitted to the child is 30%. However, the pathology itself cannot manifest itself, it must be provoked by something.
That is, with a combination of internal, external factors and the fact of hereditary predisposition, the risk of triggering the mechanism of infectious inflammation increases several times.
Asthma triggers
The airways of people with bronchial asthma are extremely irritable and sensitive. Seizure triggers are also called triggers:
- weather conditions;
- environmental situation;
- pollen, mold, mushrooms;
- emotional stimuli;
- excessive exercise;
- smoking, tobacco smoke;
- medicines;
- food;
- house mites;
- animals.
Each person has a different pathogenesis of bronchial asthma, attacks can be caused by one ormultiple stimuli.
External impact
In most cases, asthma is a combination of several factors affecting the body at the same time. They are conditionally divided into several groups:
- infections;
- allergens;
- mechanical and chemical stimuli;
- meteorological factors;
- drugs.
Allergens include house dust, plant pollen, food, drugs, insects, animals. Infectious pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungus. Mechanical and chemical irritants: cotton or silicate dust, smoke, alkali and acid fumes. Meteorological impacts include any changes in weather and atmospheric pressure.
Asthma can be provoked by b-blockers used to combat hypertension, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. As the disease progresses, triggers may change.
When the problem is from within
Bronchial asthma can develop due to persistent disruption of the immune system, endocrine system, metabolism, increased functioning of receptors in the bronchial mucosa, malfunctions in the nervous system. All these signs are the result of an unhe althy lifestyle, an infectious disease, living in a poor ecological environment.
Etiology of asthma
The etiology and pathogenesis of bronchial asthma is that the disease is heterogeneous and is associated with clinical and epidemiological causes,causing acute episodes. However, it is important to note that this distinction is often artificial and affects the subcategory of the classification.
Regarding the molecular level, the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma is of two types: allergic and peculiar. The first is usually associated with a family history of such illnesses:
- eczema;
- rhinitis;
- reactions of erythematous papules;
- urticaria.
The initial manifestation of the pathology may be accompanied by symptoms resembling a common cold, but after a few days shortness of breath, wheezing, wheezing and other signs of bronchial asthma appear.
Symptomatics
Depending on the severity and form, bronchial asthma has different symptoms. Etiology, pathogenesis, classification are formed according to such pronounced signs as a slight cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest pain or asthma attacks. With the last symptoms, an examination by a doctor is a necessary and vital procedure.
When the examination has been completed and the diagnosis is made, an inhaler is usually prescribed. But in cases where its use is made more often than it was prescribed, you need to urgently seek help from your doctor.
If within 1-2 days the symptoms do not go away, and the inhaler does not help, hospitalization will be required. During the period of asthma attacks and difficulty speaking, an ambulance is called.
Associated symptoms
At the time of exacerbation, the patient has an increased reaction tostrong odors and temperature fluctuations. This indicates inflammatory processes and activation of drug therapy. One of the most striking signs is the improvement in the condition from taking antihistamines (Zirtek, Cetrin, etc.) and, accordingly, after inhalation. Additional symptoms:
- dizziness, headache;
- general malaise and weakness;
- tachycardia (rapid heartbeat);
- blue skin;
- signs of emphysema.
It is impossible to remove status asthmaticus with traditional therapy, this attack is accompanied by prolonged suffocation and impaired consciousness. This condition can be fatal.
Asthmatic reaction in relation to the speed of bronchial response to an allergen can be early or late. In the first case, attacks begin after 1-2 minutes and end after 20 minutes. The total duration of an asthmatic condition can last up to 2 hours. The late stage causes bronchial hyperactivity after 4-6 hours, culminating after 8 hours. The duration of the attack is 12 hours.
Complications:
- emphysematous lung disorders;
- acute respiratory failure;
- when air enters the pleural cavity, pneumothorax develops.
According to etiology, several forms of asthma are distinguished:
- exogenous (provoked by an allergen);
- endogenous (provoked by stress and infections);
- mixed genesis.
The most common form of asthma is atopic, which occurs due to a genetic predisposition to allergic reactions.
What is important to know
The first thing to do is to see a doctor, undergo a full examination, establish an accurate diagnosis and receive recommendations for treatment. Only a doctor knows what kind of disease such as bronchial asthma has, etiology, pathogenesis, clinic, treatment. It is important that the patient himself and all his relatives are always ready for new attacks and know how to help.
To provide effective assistance, you need to have comprehensive information about all the symptoms, stages and forms of the disease. It is important to know what the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma is. Briefly, the following advice can be given: a clear treatment plan should be drawn up with instructions that explain what to do in acute attacks. Not a single recommendation, advice or doctor's prescription can be ignored, it can cost the patient's life. Medicines are taken strictly as directed, only in the indicated doses and at a certain time.
At hand, wherever the patient is, he and his loved ones should always have the necessary medicines, first aid drugs and an inhaler. It is also important to keep a diary of symptoms, record their change and identify stimuli that affect the person's condition. It is important not to panic at the first attacks, but to clearly follow the plan.
Doctors stillbronchial asthma is being carefully studied. The etiology, pathogenesis, clinic of the disease make it possible to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe competent treatment. As a rule, the doctor prescribes inhalers, aerosols, and if there is an infection, antibiotics are prescribed. As a preventive measure, the most important recommendation remains the exclusion of factors provoking seizures. To do this, you need to keep your home clean, avoid environmentally polluted places, quit smoking and take all prescribed drugs.
