Asthma as One of the Major Rising Health Issues in Todays - Essay Example

Most people have been living with a combined, traditional and medical approach to prevent attacks. It should be borne in mind that each individual's approach the adaptation differs from another. Asthma has become one of the major rising health issues in today’s world. From the Department of Pathology, The Methodist Hospital, Houston, Tex (Dr. Barrios); and the Departments of Medicine and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex (Drs Kheradmand and Corry, and Ms. Batts), in their study paper which was accepted in December 2005, gave statistics that 5% of the United States population is affected by this disease.

Two million people visit America’s emergency departments on account of asthma and per year 470, 000 hospitalizations are recorded, Asthma Attack When an attack occurs; difficulty in breathing, dry intense cough, difficulty in speech, sunken eyes, a rapid pulse, and articulation becomes difficult. The duration of an attack varies from case to case; it may last only for a few seconds or continue longer. Allergic Asthma Allergy causes Asthma in 90% of children, 70% of adults below 30 years of age, and 50% of adults above that age.

[7] Allergic asthma is a result of an immune response to inhaled allergens. These allergens are ingested by IgE Immunoglobulin E (for Erythema) which transfers them onto other cells of the immune system, Mast cells. In asthmatic patients these cells transfer into TH2 type, TH2 cells then activate an important Humoral Immune System producing antibodies against these allergens. Later on, when an asthmatic inhales the same allergens, these antibodies recognize and activate the Humoral response. Chemicals, histamine, and leukotrienes are produced which cause the airway to release more mucus with contraction, narrowing the lumen of the bronchi and the less mediated arm of the immune system is activated, causing inflammation.

Repeated attacks damage the lining of the bronchi. This inflammation is responsible for an asthma attacks. Chronic Asthma “The Beta Adrenergic Theory of Asthma” This theory is considered to be a classic and is used in most of the citations used for describing Chronic Asthma via cell studies. The theory was conceived by Andor Szentivanyi in the year 1968. According to him “blockage of the Beta-2 receptors of pulmonary smooth muscle cells causes asthma” In 1955 Szentivanyi and a team of co-workers show that IgE is responsible for blocking Beta-2 receptors [6] Asthma-Disease of Hygiene TH1 lymphocyte cells of the immune system are switched on in babies soon after their birth who are exposed to bacteria and antigens.

TH1 deals with bacterial infections. This is in sufficient and TH2 cells are activated which predominate and Asthma may develop. The TH2 lymphocyte cells protect us from allergic parasites. The Charcot-Leyden crystals are formed when the crystalline material in eosinophils coalesces. These crystals are significant in sputum samples of people with asthma. In the developed world, these parasites are now rarely encountered, but the immune response remains and is wrongly triggered in some individuals by certain allergens Is Asthma Curable?