Evolution of asthma treatment

In the old asthma was taken as a divine punishment, so that their treatment was based on mystical orders, prayers, exorcisms, etc..
Oriental medicine to treat asthma with acupuncture techniques, and moxibustion (a technique that uses the same points as acupuncture, but by applying the heat produced by burning a root called moxa)


Others could see the "Treaty of therapeutics and materia medica of Armand Trousseau and H. Pidoux "
1857, the council of the use of numerous compounds to treat asthma, such as: Hydrogen cyanide, arsenic, coffee, electricity, snuff, among others.
In the first edition of the Merck Manual, 1899, indicated that the snuff asthma was often beneficial and the most severe cases, recommended marijuana.
Oils could be found with alcohol and opium in the treatment of asthma and other spasmodic affections. Charles Dickens was one of the followers of this compound to relieve their asthma attacks.
The history of bronchodilator therapy in asthma dates back to 1900 with the use of an extract of adrenal glands proposed by Solis Cohen. Despite being known by the Chinese for over 5000 years ago in 1924 newly entering Western medicine ephedrine, used as a bronchodilator. Since the early 20 bronchodilator theophylline is most used among asthmatics, it is a methylxanthine with a structure similar to caffeine or theobromine. Historically its use in asthma treatment comes as a recommendation to William Withering, in 1786 recommended strong coffee as a remedy for asthma symptoms.
In 1870 shortly after Dr. Henry Hyde Slater, who was asthmatic, also claims strong coffee is the best remedy available for asthma. In 1900, since the early 30's, the lab begins to synthesize Boehringer theophylline, which is widely used to treat this condition, it is interesting to note that even being used for decades by millions of people in the treatment of asthma, now doubt its mechanism of action in asthma and its logical place in the drug scheme, apparently its molecular mechanism of action include inhibition of certain phosphodiesterases, antagonism of adenosine, stimulate release of catecholamines, inhibiting the release of mediators involved in bronchial inflammation and inhibition of intracellular calcium release. Theophylline is a nonselective inhibitor of phosphodiesterases (enzymes responsible for degradation of cyclic nucleotides in the cell, leading to an increase in the concentration of AMP and cyclic GMP). But the degree of inhibition is low (5-10%) at therapeutic concentrations of theophylline tolerable, prompting studies to develop selective and more potent inhibitors that can be used in the treatment of asthma.

What is Asthma | asthma prevention | Charles Dickens

Bronchodilators were subsequently developed more powerful and less toxicity (adrenergic agonists), which finally ended theophylline displacing the position of third-line drug, used when asthma can not be controlled by other means, or when the cost of medicine is the most important factor. About 1948 Ahlquist classified adrenergic receptors alpha and beta, the latter recognizing the quality of bronchodilation, so you start to look for drugs that act selectively on these receptors, later (1967) beta receptors are subclassified into beta 1 (cardiac stimulant action) and beta 2 (bronchodilator). Since then the search is on a drug that stimulates these receptors. In the 70 recognized in asthma inflammatory character, which modifies substantially the same treatment by adding anti-inflammatory therapy, resulting in perhaps the most important pillar today in the treatment of asthma, corticosteroids, allowing the use of bronchodilators for the control of the crisis (the latter in our days is changing with the emergence of long-acting bronchodilators). Even the early use of inhaled corticosteroids would be a "modifier evolution." With the partnership of two long-acting beta and inhaled corticosteroids should theoretically be achieved disease remission, a fact that is unfortunately not in practice, which led to the introduction of the concept of "bronchial remodeling," leading to redefine remission now not as a cure for the disease but the absence of symptoms. Began to emerge then new anti-inflammatory drugs as inhibitors of leukotriene inhibitors and phosphodiesterase that would add two main advantages: its use by the oral route and not having the undesirable effects of corticosteroids. Day by day they are creating new compounds that help asthmatics to take their disease with fewer limitations and we may think we are close to the time when the disease is fully controllable even in cases of severe asthma are as follows concern to the medical community.
Personally, as my own experience, I can recognize in the tea a great ally in the moments that Ventolin is not available to open a bit (if only) the way the precious air when this is difficult.
And you you have any recommendations?
Do you measure your grandmother makes out of these times? Leave me a comment and who can deny that you are the driver of new scientific studies

Asthma and cigarette

Smoking is unhealthy for everyone, but especially for those with asthma . When a person smokes, their lungs may not work as well as they should. The person may cough and feel tired more short of breath. The snuff irritates the airways , causing them to swell, narrow, and filled with sticky mucus, exactly the same things that cause breathing problems in people with asthma. For this reason, if a person with asthma smokes , you're more likely to have asthma attacks more frequent and more severe.
Being a smoker carries an obvious risk to health, but being around people who smoke - and become smoke by breathing smoke they produce - can also cause problems. Parents can help their children or teen-age children with asthma by protecting them from the effects of smoke snuff.

How can you control the exercise-induced asthma?

Stretching and proper warm-up exercises and may relieve any chest tightness that occurs with exercise. In addition, breathing through the nose and not your mouth will help warm and humidify the air before it enters the airways, protecting the delicate lining of the airways.
Other ways to help prevent an asthma attack induced by exercise include the following:

• Your doctor may prescribe an inhaled asthma medication for use before exercise, which can also be used after exercise if symptoms occur.
• Avoid exercising in temperatures very low.
• If exercising during cold weather, wear a scarf over your mouth and nose , so the air you breathe is warm and easier to inhale.
• Avoid exercising when pollen levels and air pollution are high ( if allergy plays a role in asthma) .
• If inhaling air through the mouth, keep the mouth pursed (lips together to form a small "O"), so that the air is less cold and dry when it enters the airways during exercise. 
• Carry an inhaler , just in case an asthma attack.
• Use an allergy mask during pollen season.
• Avoid exercise when experiencing a viral infection.

Types of asthma

There are different classifications of asthma. In terms of origin can be divided into intrinsic and extrinsic asthma asthma or allergic. The origin of intrinsic asthma is unknown and is detected more frequently in adulthood. Has a worse prognosis than allergic in nature and tends to become chronic. Extrinsic asthma, meanwhile, is an antigen-antibody reaction that triggers the process. It mainly affects children and young adults, is characterized by brief attacks and reversible bronchospasm with wheezing and shortness of breath, and controlled with proper treatment.
The allergy is a disorder of the body's defense mechanism consisting of an exaggerated reaction by means of a special antibody (immunoglobulin E), to substances that, in principle, are not harmful (pollens, mites, dander, food or drugs) . When these antibodies, which are fixed in certain cells, bind to the allergen, it causes the release of certain substances that, directly or through other cells, causing inflammation of the organ where they settle (bronchi, nose, eyes or skin ). There is an inherited predisposition to suffer from allergies, but exposure to allergens is needed to develop the disease.
Asthma can also be classified as mild, moderate or severe, depending on the frequency and intensity of symptoms, the way it affects the daily activity and the degree of bronchial obstruction. Mild asthma can be controlled by drug treatment and usually does not affect the daily lives of the sick, the treatment requires moderate asthma more severe and interferes with daily activities of patients, and severe asthma requires continuous control and can endanger the lives of people who suffer.