Exercise-induced asthma
Description
.jpg)
The term “Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction” is more favored than “Exercise-induced asthma” and it describes a transient airway narrowing during physical activity.
40% to 90% of patients with asthma and up to 20% of the general population without asthma have exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.
It’s more common in elite athletes with a prevalence of 30% to 70%, particularly among female athletes and those who compete in winter sports.
Symptoms
Symptoms include :
- Chest tightness
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Dyspnea
- Mucus production
- Poor performance
- Fatigue despite adequate conditioning
- Respiratory failure “Rare”
- Death “Rare”
Visit your Chest and Respiratory doctor if you have
symptoms of exercise-induced asthma to be diagnosed properly
Recommended Doctors
View MoreCauses
This condition results from changes in the lungs due to :
- Loss of water in the lungs during exercise
- Change in temperature
- Exposure to irritants
There are different triggers and risk factors :
- Doing exercise in cold and dry air
- Using chlorinated pools
- Practicing in areas with a high level of pollution
- Exposure to cigarette smoke
- Personal or family history of asthma
- Personal history of atopy
- Female gender
Diagnostics
The following tests and procedures may be used for diagnosis :
Exercise challenge test : This is frequently used to determine whether exercise causes asthma attacks. This may be done by using an exercise bike or treadmill for a while.
To determine how much the exercise impacts a person's breathing, further tests are performed both before and after the exercise.
Spirometry : The patient blows air into a machine that measures the amount the patient can inhale and how rapidly he can exhale it.
Peak-flow test : the patient breathes as quickly and forcefully as he can into the apparatus. How quickly he can exhale air from his lungs is measured and the results of these measurements reveal how narrow his airways are.
Treatment
Non-pharmacologic treatment :
- Pre-warming and humidification
- Improving physical condition as weight loss if needed
- Preventing water loss by wearing a face mask
Pharmacologic treatment :
Your doctor may prescribe a pre-exercise or daily medication.
Pre-exercise medications :
- Inhaled sprays with fast effect such as Salbutamol.
- Inhaled spray or solution such as Cromolyn sodium.
Daily medications :
- Inhaled corticosteroids such as Budesonide, Fluticasone propionate.
- Tablets such as Montelukast, Zafirlukast. May also include medications such as Desloratidine, Loratidine, and Cetrizine in patients with known allergies.
