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Medicines for asthma are mainly of two types. According to symptoms and nature of asthma, different types of medicines are used. For quick relief ‘reliever’ medicines are used. For long term treatment of persistent asthma controller medicines are used.

Relievers

Quick acting bronchodilators are known as relievers. These medicines are taken at the first signs of asthma symptoms or in early phase.

Quick acting bronchodilators open the airways quickly by relaxing the tightening muscles of the airways. They can just relieve symptoms but cannot prevent the swelling of the airways.

Following are some of the reliever medicines:

Beta 2 agonists (short acting): – terbutaline, salbutamol etc.

Methylxanthines (short acting): – aminophylline, theophylline etc.

Anticolingeries: – iraprodium bromide.

Generally patients are advised by doctors to take bronchodilator medicine at the earliest stage of asthmatic attack like cough, wheezing, chest tightness etc. For serious attacks of asthma anti-inflammatory medicines may be taken.

Controllers

For controlling persistent asthma controller medicines are used long acting bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory medicines are controllers. Continue Reading »

Asthma is a life long problem. Many people fear that asthma limits the normal activities of life. But people suffering from asthma can lead almost a normal life if (i) regular and appropriate treatment is done by good and experienced doctor and (ii) proper care of the patient is taken. Though asthma can not be cured, yet it can be controlled.

People should have knowledge about the disease. They should at least know what the disease is, substances and factors that can trigger asthma and how asthma can be prevented.

Asthma can be called a disease of the airways of lungs in which respiratory passage in the lungs become over sensitive and over reactive. The airways begin to react to many factors such as cold air, smoke, pollen etc. Inside walls of airways are inflamed, glands of the inner lining of the airways produce excessive mucus and the muscles around the airways tighten up. For these reasons the airways become narrow and obstruct movement of air in and out of the lungs. Once the airways become obstructed one has to make greater effort to force air to pass through them and experiences difficulty in breathing. This activity i.e. forcing of air through constructed airways, can produce a whistling sound which is known as wheezing.

Some of the Symptoms of asthma:-

i. Difficulty in breathing
ii. Wheezing
iii. Coughing – specially at night making in hard to sleep
iv. Tightness in chest
v. Restlessness
vi. Faster breathing than normal.

It is not necessary that all people have all these symptoms. Symptoms may vary. For instance some asthmatics do not wheeze or sometime wheezing is so light that it can heard only by using a stethoscope. In some asthmatics coughing is the only symptom.

Author: S.N.Bhattacharya

Heart is a vital and one of the most important organs of our body. People should know about the diseases of the heart and should take care of the heart. There are various types of heart diseases and are caused due to many reasons. 

1. Coronary Artery Disease
2. Congenital Heart Disease
3. Diseases of Valves of Heart
4. Cardiac Arrhythmia
5. Rheumatic Heart Disease
6. Carditis
7. Coarctation

1. Coronary Artery Disease:- 

(i) Angina Pectoris: – It is a type of coronary artery disease caused by narrowing of coronary arteries or clogging in them. Coronary artery supplies oxygen and nutrients to the heart. When inadequate blood reaches the heart due to any obstruction or clogging in coronary arteries then pain in chest or discomfort in heart is felt. 

Coronary artery become narrowed or clogged by deposits of cholesterol in inner layer of it. 

Cholesterol – It is a fat like substance and is produced mainly in liver. Within limit cholesterol is good but if somebody has too much cholesterol in the blood stream then excess cholesterol is deposited in the inner layer of arteries including coronary arteries. 

Cholesterol and fats travel in the blood stream in the form of Lipoproteins – mainly low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL cholesterol is regarded as bad cholesterol where as HDL cholesterol is good cholesterol. 

(ii) Myocardial Infraction (Heart Attack) – Heart attack is caused due to blockage of coronary artery and blockage of coronary artery occurs due the formation of blood clot. 

Atherosclerosis is considered as the most common cause of heart attack. In Atherosclerosis arteries become clogged due to plaques or fatty deposits (cholesterol) in their inner layer.

Angina and Heart attack are not the same. Though the nature of chest pain has got similarity in both the cases yet there is a lot of difference between them. In Angina, heart receives inadequate blood from narrowed artery and artery is not completely blocked but oxygen demand of heart muscle is not fulfilled.

In Angina the pain is not severe and does not last for more than ten minutes and attack of angina may occur due to

• Physical exertion like climbing up stairs, walking up hills, jogging
• Smoking.
• Taking heavy meal
• Excitement. 

Permanent damage to the heart muscle is done by a heart attack, In heart attack tissue of heart muscle dies as it does not get oxygen. If large area of tissue is affected then the attack may be fatal.  Continue Reading »