An Attack Of Bronchial Asthma - Emergency Care, Harbingers Of An Attack

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Bronchial asthma attack

Bronchial asthma is a fairly common modern respiratory tract disease. It manifests itself in the form of periodic attacks of shortness of breath, severe cough, sometimes capable of developing into an attack of suffocation. The reason for this is the reaction of the respiratory tract to any irritant that has entered them. Because of this, the bronchi are greatly narrowed, while producing a large amount of mucus, which prevents the patient from breathing normally, makes it difficult for air to enter the lungs.

The reasons for asthma attacks can vary. Proceeding from this, non-allergic asthma is isolated, which occurs as a result of exposure to an external irritant on the respiratory tract, and allergic asthma, which is the result of particles entering the body through the bronchi, causing an allergic reaction.

Allergic asthma attacks can be caused by specific irritants (pollen, food, wool, house dust, etc.), upon contact with which an exacerbation of the disease occurs. Often, these attacks are seasonal in nature and are expressed by excessive tearing, hives, runny nose and cough.

Attacks in non-allergic asthma are caused by any slight irritation of the bronchi. Due to their excessive sensitivity, spasms occur that interfere with the normal flow of air into the lungs and back, as a result of which a strong cough occurs, an attack of suffocation.

Some of the main causes that can trigger an asthma attack are:

• tobacco smoke;
• specific smell of detergents, household chemicals;
• traffic fumes;
• taking certain medications;
• perfume soap;
• sugary smells;
• sharp perfume, etc.

Asthma symptoms do not necessarily appear instantly, sometimes it takes several minutes for a reaction.

Depending on the cause of the attack, asthma is divided into several types:

• exercise asthma (inhalation of cold air while playing sports);
• aspirin asthma (taking certain medications);
• food asthma;
• occupational asthma (inhalation of the same substance at work for a sufficiently long period of time);
• mixed asthma (contact with an allergen with the presence of another factor);
• unspecified asthma (there is no clear cause of the attack).

It often happens that with asthma, doctors are unable to identify specific allergens that irritate the respiratory tract and cause it to spasm. The earliest attacks of the disease can be caused by a respiratory infection. While exhaust gases or industrial waste are not allergens, they can negatively affect the symptoms of the disease, provoke it in those who have a predisposition to this disease.

The most difficult thing to define is occupational asthma, as people often do not attach importance to the first symptoms that appear during work and disappear after the end of the work shift. Diagnosing such asthma attacks is quite difficult and takes several weeks or even months to make an accurate diagnosis.

Harbingers of an attack

Since each person is unique, the harbingers of an attack of bronchial asthma will manifest themselves differently for each person. It is very important to know them if you have asthma and take the necessary medications on time. Harbingers of an asthma attack appear in about 0.5-1 hour.

The most common precursors of allergic asthma attacks:

• frequent sneezing;
• coughing;
• pain and sore throat;
• severe coryza with watery mucus;
• headache.

If the asthma attack is of a non-allergic nature, for example, physical activity, then the precursors may be as follows:

• dizziness;
• cough;
• severe weakness, fatigue;
• anxiety;
• anxiety;
• deterioration in mood.

Insomnia and severe coughing are harbingers of a nocturnal asthma attack.

Emergency care for an attack of bronchial asthma

If you have witnessed an attack of bronchial asthma, then you, first of all, need to provide the patient with help before the ambulance arrives. Often a person's life depends on how quickly and competently first aid is provided.

It must be remembered that helping with asthma before the arrival of doctors will only help you to improve his well-being for a while. It will not be possible to completely cure an attack without the help of doctors. The patient should consult a pulmonologist, he will help to make the correct diagnosis, and then prescribe the necessary treatment.

First aid for bronchial asthma

With an asthma attack, the patient needs help to unbutton the collar of his shirt or loosen his tie, remove anything that may interfere with free breathing. Then help to take the correct position: standing or sitting, resting against the surface with both hands, elbows apart in different directions. This will help to engage the accessory breathing muscles. Help the person to calm down and try to breathe evenly. Open a window to allow fresh air to flow into the room.

A mild attack can be stopped if the patient is given a hot bath for hands or feet, mustard plasters are applied to the feet. Help the patient use the inhaler that the patient is using, remove it from the packaging, secure the nozzle and turn it over. If the person cannot press the aerosol on their own, do it instead. You can repeat the use of the inhaler 2-3 times every 20 minutes.

Emergency medical assistance

Upon the arrival of the ambulance, the doctors must be informed about the drugs that the patient was taking during the attack. The doctor injects 0.7 ml of a 0.1% solution of adrenaline, which helps to remove spasm of the respiratory tract and reduce the secretion of mucus by the bronchi. The result after the injection usually occurs after 5-8 minutes. If the patient's condition is still severe, then the injection is repeated. Side effects with the introduction of the drug may be: increased heart rate, severe headache, minor tremors. It should be remembered: adrenaline should not be used for cardiac asthma that has arisen against the background of a heart attack or against a background of heart failure.

The second drug that should be used to relieve an attack of bronchial asthma is ephedrine. It begins to act after 20-25 minutes, is injected under the skin in the form of a 1% solution of no more than 1 ml. Ephedrine has a weaker effect than adrenaline, sometimes this drug does not completely stop the attack. Then a solution of ephedrine or adrenaline is injected in combination with 0.5 ml of atropine (1% solution).

If the type of asthma attack (cardiac or bronchial) is unknown or if it cannot be eliminated for a long time, intravenous administration of aminophylline should be used. The drug should be administered very slowly.

If the administration of bronchodilator drugs does not have any visible effect, but only excites the patient, then pipolfen (2.5% solution) is injected into the muscle, with a volume of not more than 1.5-2 ml, and intravenous novocaine (0.5% solution), with a volume 5-10 ml, the medicine should be injected slowly.

The mixed form of asthma is stopped with aminophylline with cardiac glycosides, an injection is given intravenously. If the patient suffers from suffocation, then with great care it is allowed to use the drug pantopon, always with atropine or use promedol.

It is impossible to enter morphine during a bronchial attack, it negatively affects the respiratory system, making breathing difficult.

As an antispasmodic, an injection of 2% solutions of no-shpa and papaverine is used, in a ratio of 1: 1, no more than 4 ml

If the administration of drugs does not give the desired effect, then the patient must be urgently hospitalized.

Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist

Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".