How to detect asthma – a chronic respiratory pathology that affects 3 million Spaniards
Asthma is one of the most common lung diseases in the world and is characterized by airway obstruction.
The most common symptoms of asthma are a cough (usually dry, sometimes with phlegm), fatigue, or chest pressure. You also often catch colds or suffer from snoring and wheezing.
Asthma can be detected through a range of diagnostic tests, but treatment must be personalized.
On the occasion of World Asthma Day (first Tuesday in May), today on Radio Onda Cero Madrid Norte (100.1 FM) we interviewed Dr. José Miguel Rodríguez González-Moro. The head of the pulmonology service at the Vitas University Hospital in Madrid explained the causes and symptoms of this chronic respiratory pathology that affects 3 million Spaniards. He also noted the importance of offering personalized treatments for a disease for which there is currently no cure but for which symptoms can be reduced.
What are the symptoms of asthma
Asthma is perhaps one of the most common pathologies in the world, characterized by various airway obstructions. According to the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR), it is a chronic respiratory disease that affects almost 3 million people in Spain, with an estimated prevalence of 5% in adults and 10% in children.
The most common symptoms in patients with asthma are related to:
- Cough (usually dry, sometimes with phlegm)
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
According to Dr. Rodriguez Gonzalez-Moro, another aspect to pay attention to is whether the person is suffering from a severe cold or is waking up at night due to shortness of breath.
“Asthma symptoms usually occur sporadically and at any time of the day, although they are usually predominant at night and in the early morning,” explains the doctor.
A common disease in children and people over 40 years of age.
Asthma is a disease that, although it can affect people of all ages, most often occurs twice in a patient’s life. On the one hand, childhood/adolescence (the age at which it is usually associated with an allergic component), and on the other, from 40 years of age (where sinusitis, nasal polyps, etc. often appear).
What causes asthma
When asked about the causes of asthma, Dr. Rodriguez Gonzalez-Moro identifies several. It can be caused by pollen, hair, dust, mites, fungi or air pollution.
How is this discovered?
Several diagnostic tests are used to detect asthma. For example, spirometry after inhalation of a bronchodilator is a simple method that allows you to see the degree of airway obstruction. There is also a method for determining nitric oxide in exhaled air, which allows you to exclude other pathologies that can simulate asthma. This method not only measures inflammation in the airways, but also allows for appropriate treatment.
Personalized treatments
There is currently no cure for asthma. In fact, Dr. Rodriguez Gonzalez-Moro explains that the most important concept to consider at this point is that of “asthma control.”
However, he points out that Personalized treatment and an interdisciplinary approach will reduce symptoms. In this sense, he adds that it is important to have departments consisting of pulmonology, allergy, otolaryngology, digestive, etc. and a team of nurses who inform the patient about his illness.