What is asthma?

4 May 2021

It is a chronic condition that is usually of allergic or genetic origin that causes inflammation of the respiratory tract that produces noise or wheezing during breathing, shortness of breath, feeling of tightness in the chest, and coughing fits that can range from mild to severe. Asthmatic attacks can appear suddenly or develop over days, hours, or minutes.

It affects patients of all ages and genders, although it usually begins in childhood. Different allergens, microorganisms, and risk factors in the environment can increase the risk of having asthma, such as:

Mites.
Climate changes.
Pet hair.
Stress.
Tobacco smoke.
Chemicals in the air or food.
Pollen.
Flu.
Cough.

People who don’t receive proper asthma treatment may experience sleep disturbances, daytime tiredness, and trouble concentrating.

Signs and symptoms Asthma

Symptoms and their intensity are variable, but the following are the most frequent:

Chest pain or tightness.
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
Noises and wheezing when breathing.
Coughing fits.

Diagnosis and treatment Asthma

In addition to performing a physical examination and analyzing your medical history, you will be asked for pulmonary function and allergy tests, X-rays, and other tests that help assess your asthmatic situation and the treatment to be followed, which normally includes:

Medication to prevent and control airway inflammation, as well as immediate-acting bronchodilators and corticosteroids for severe asthma attacks.
Avoid exposure to allergenic substances that can trigger asthmatic attacks.

In the Pulmonary Physiology and Inhalation Therapy Department we guarantee you the best care in respiratory ailments provided by highly trained medical personnel.

Thanks to an adequate clinical assessment and state-of-the-art equipment in pulmonary function tests, metabolic monitor, and video bronchoscopy, we offer you a timely and accurate diagnosis of your lung function. In addition, we have the most advanced mechanical ventilator system (52 mechanical ventilators).

Services:

Biopsies.
Calorimetry at rest.
Alveolar-capillary CO diffusion capacity.
Pre-bronchodilator spirometry.
Post-bronchodilator spirometry.
Video-bronchoscopy tests.
Cardiopulmonary tests in exercise.
Removal of foreign bodies.
Bronchial sampling.
Complete lung volumes.

Related centers and departments Asthma

Pulmonary Physiology and Inhalation Therapy
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory

Fuentes:

mayoclinic.org
nhlbi.nih.gov
who.int
medlineplus.gov
medigraphic.com
Vázquez-García JC, Benítez-Pérez RE, Sánchez-Gallén E, et al. Estrategia de telesalud para mejorar el diagnóstico de EPOC y asma en México en el primer nivel de atención. Neumol Cir Torax. 2021;80(1):11-18. doi:10.35366/99449.
Brid-Carrera E, Perea-Zorrilla T. Control del asma, características clínicas y epidemiológicas en Panamá. (CASPAN: Control del asma en Panamá). Neumol Cir Torax. 2020;79(3):145-150. doi:10.35366/96648.
Huerta LJG. Estadísticas de la Revista Alergia, Asma e Inmunología Pediátricas ocupan uno de los primeros lugares en el ámbito médico de la especialidad de habla hispana como difusión y consulta. Alerg Asma Inmunol Pediatr. 2010;19(3):75-76.
Chapela MR, Barnes N, Cuevas SF, et al. Consenso Mexicano de AsmaGrupo de trabajo ‘Consenso Mexicano de Asma’. Neumol Cir Torax. 2005;64(Suppl: 1):7-44.

How can we help you?

The dissemination of the content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace, under any circumstance or condition, a consultation with a specialist doctor, for which the ABC Medical Center is not responsible for the different use that may be given to it. If you require more information related to the subject, we suggest you contact the specialist doctor you trust directly.

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Comparison of COVID-19 vaccines

Pfizer-
BioNTech

Pfizer-BioNTech

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 95% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

No Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 16 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polysorbate.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, malaise, and swollen lymph nodes.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 14 days of having the complete scheme (after the administration of the 2nd dose), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

Moderna

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 94.5% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 28 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 18 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, and swollen lymph nodes in the arm in which you received the injection.

Janssen/
Johnson
& Johnson

Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 72.0% in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.
85% in the prevention of severe COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives./strong>

How many doses are needed?
Only one dose in needed.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 28 days of having the complete scheme (the last dose applied), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from 85% serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

AstraZeneca
and
Oxford
University

AstraZeneca and Oxford University

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 82% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 56 days apart (or up to 84 days apart, if necessary).

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, and fever, which were mild to moderate in intensity and disappeared within 48 hours of vaccination.

Sputnik V

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 92% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

What is asthma?

Signs and symptoms Asthma

Diagnosis and treatment Asthma

Related centers and departments Asthma

Fuentes:

Index

Specialist in Asthma