Bronchial asthma

Beta Adrenergic Agonists: Subsensitivity

Subsensitivity or tolerance is a diminished responsiveness which develops in many physiologic systems when receptors are repeatedly exposed to increased levels of their agonist either natural or administered. With chronic administration, subsensitivity develops to the beta adrenergic agonists and results in a reduced bronchodilator response. Ibis occurs over a period of one to two weeks and requires a similar period of time to reverse after the beta adrenergic drug has been discontinued. In vitro studies

Tagged: adrenergic subsensitivity , bronchial asthma , bronchodilation , Cardiac stimulation , epinephrine , Inhalation , leukocytes , observation
Inhalation

Beta Adrenergic Agonists: The Role of Beta Adrenergic Bronchodilators in the Treatment of Asthma

Inhaled beta adrenergic bronchodilators are the treatment of choice for prompt relief of acute episodes of wheezing and dyspnea no matter what has been the stimulus. Although exercise-induced bronchoconstriction can be prevented by therapy with cromolyn, theophylline or oral beta adrenergic agonists, it is most conveniently and effectively prevented with the least number of side effects by inhalation of a long-acting adrenergic bronchodilator shortly before beginning exercise. The relative role of beta adrenergic agonists and theophylline

Tagged: adrenergic subsensitivity , bronchial asthma , bronchodilation , Cardiac stimulation , epinephrine , Inhalation , leukocytes , observation
Bronchial asthma

Beta Adrenergic Agonists

Beta adrenergic agonists and theophylline are the principal bronchodilators employed in the treatment of bronchial asthma. During the last decade, the clinical usefulness of theophylline has been enhanced by the availability of serum theophylline determinations and sustained release formulations. Beta adrenergic bronchodilators were initially somewhat eclipsed in the United States by these improvements in theophylline therapy . Now, however, with the introduction of selective and long lasting adrenergic agents, appreciation of their role in the treatment of

Tagged: adrenergic subsensitivity , bronchial asthma , bronchodilation , Cardiac stimulation , epinephrine , Inhalation , leukocytes , observation

Targeting Improvements in Asthma Morbidity in Chicago: Research Initiatives

In addition to basic research on asthma biology and genetics ongoing in many Chicago centers, Chicago has been an important center for clinical studies in asthma in the past 10 years. The School-based Pediatric Asthma Research in Chicago investigators analyzed the social, behavioral, environmental, and biological factors influencing racial and ethnic disparities in childhood asthma in Chicago. School-based ASMA program helps adolescents improve asthma management, quality of life . A short questionnaire, completed by parents, was used to screen > 11,000 children in 14 Chicago public

Tagged: childhood asthma , high-efficiency particulate air , School-based Pediatric Asthma Research , symptoms
Asthma therapy

Targeting Improvements in Asthma Morbidity in Chicago: Surveillance Initiatives

Many organizations, consortia, and collaboratives collected and distributed information on asthma prevalence and severity, attitudes, and behaviors regarding asthma therapy in various clinical settings, and knowledge and attitudes about asthma in Chicago communities. In data workshops sponsored by the CAC annually since 1997, epidemiologists, community leaders, and health-care providers have presented focused analyses of many of the issues concerning asthma in Chicago. University of Chicago and Chicago Department of Public Health epidemiologists have developed detailed

Tagged: asthma therapy , Chicago Asthma Surveillance Initiative , Illinois Emergency Department Asthma Collaborative
Asthma

Targeting Improvements in Asthma Morbidity in Chicago: Education Initiatives

Numerous organizations, community groups, researchers, and medical providers have assumed an active role in addressing the asthma education needs of various sectors in the city heavily impacted by asthma. School-Based Efforts Asthma 101, a program of proven benefit that teaches 8- to 11-year-old students how to manage asthma, and Open Airways for Schools (OAS), an asthma awareness program for faculty and school staff, have been utilized by several organizations to increase local, neighborhood capacity for

Tagged: asthma management , asthma problem , medical providers , Open Airways for Schools
Asthma in children

Targeting Improvements in Asthma Morbidity in Chicago: Disparity Initiatives

Chicago is a city with a high concentration of people from lower socioeconomic groups; these groups typically show higher asthma prevalence and morbidity. Over the past 10 years, there have been a number of community-based strategies that focused on reducing asthma disparities. A few of these projects are highlighted. The Mobile C.A.R.E. Foundation operates two medical vans to provide free and comprehensive medical care, health education, and medications to children with asthma in underserved communities. Its goal is

Tagged: asthma morbidity , Controlling Asthma , environmental risk factors , medications
Asthma and Air Pollution

Targeting Improvements in Asthma Morbidity in Chicago: Legislative Activities

Chicago continues to be “asthma ground zero” due to its disproportionately high rates of asthma-related hospitalization and mortality. Prevalence rates for asthma for persons in Chicago are higher for whites and African Americans than the national average. However, this increased prevalence does not explain that the Chicago asthma hospitalization rate for African Americans is nearly double that of the nation as a whole. In the mid 1990s, with the help of The Otho S.A. Sprague

Tagged: asthma , Clean Air , emissions , pollution-control technology , Tobacco Control

Considerations in Case of Airway Remodeling in Severe Asthma

Airway remodeling describes structural changes that in the asthmatic airway collectively result in thickening of the airway wall. CT imaging of the airways is being developed as a technique to study airway remodeling in vivo. Multiple studies, have documented increased airway WT in asthma using CT. Most of these studies employed manual tracing methods, using either manual or digital measurement of airway dimensions. These previous studies using manual tracing methods have demonstrated significant differences in

Tagged: airway remodeling , asthma , chest CT scan
Asthma

Outcomes of Airway Remodeling in Severe Asthma

Demographics The characteristics of the subjects in our study (Table 1) demonstrated that those with severe persistent asthma, on average, were older, reported more frequent symptoms of allergies, and had elevated levels of IgE, increased airway hyperresponsiveness, and decreased baseline FEV1 percent predicted compared to patients with mild-to-moderate asthma and healthy subjects. Subjects in the biopsy subset were representative of the overall cohort (Table 1) with the exception that patients with mild-to-moderate asthma had an

Tagged: airway remodeling , asthma , chest CT scan