Bronchial asthma is a chronic disease that is an inflammatory process that spreads in the airways. Inflammation is characterized by wave-like attacks that result from exposure to an allergen. The disease is difficult to diagnose, as its symptoms and manifestations are often confused with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Such diseases are very easy to confuse, so it is important for the patient to conduct a differential diagnosis of bronchial asthma.
Features of the disease
With such a disease, a person has a strong thickening of the walls of the bronchi due to the progression of the inflammatory process in them. As a result of thickening of the walls, the patient has breathing problems, which requires constant monitoring by a treating specialist.
COPD disease is incurable and is characterized by the manifestation of bronchitis (a large amount of sputum accumulates in the lungs) and emphysema (their volume becomes smaller due to an increase in the number of alveoli). Such an ailment must be monitored by a doctor.
From the description of the two diseases, he can conclude that their appearance is almost the same - in both cases severe inflammation begins in the respiratory system and the patient feels respiratory failure. Differential diagnosis of bronchial asthma and COPD will help to accurately identify the disease and make an effective and proper treatment that normalizes the patient's condition and restores his health.
If the doctor is not sure of his prognosis, then he prescribes differential diagnosis to the patient. It consists in the exclusion of similar diagnoses of symptoms.
Other possible diseases
An attack of suffocation does not necessarily indicate a person has bronchial asthma. This symptom also occurs with other diseases:
- damage to the respiratory system (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), a foreign object in the bronchi, sudden pneumothorax, tumor formations in the respiratory organs, bronchoadenitis);
- diseases of the cardiovascular system (disturbances in the heart muscle - heart attack, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy; pulmonary artery thromboembolism, acute arrhythmia and heart defects);
- hemorrhagic stroke (hemorrhage in the brain tissue);
- acute form of jade;
- epileptic seizures;
- sepsis, rashes on the body;
- poisoning with narcotic substances;
- hysteria, neurological problems.
Cardiac and respiratory asthma
Most often, the doctor has to conduct a differential diagnosis of cardiac and bronchial asthma. Attacks of cardiac asthma occur, as a rule, in elderly people who suffer from acute and chronic diseases of the heart and blood vessels. The attack takes place against the background of a rise in blood pressure, after overstrain of the physical and mental system, overeating or taking an excessive amount of alcoholic beverages.
At the same time, the patient complains of problems with the respiratory system, he has a lack of air, frequent shortness of breath (it is difficult for the patient to take a full breath). In this case, the nasolabial triangle, lips, tip of the nose and fingers turn very blue, and liquid, foamy sputum comes out, sometimes painted pink or red. When diagnosing a patient, the doctor notes the presence of enlarged borders of the heart, moist rales in the lungs, an increase in liver size and swelling of the limbs.
In the chronic form of bronchial obstruction, the signs of damage do not disappear even after taking medications to expand the bronchi - such a process becomes irreversible. In addition, unpleasant symptoms accompany the patient throughout the entire course of the disease.
With obstruction of the respiratory tract by a foreign body or tumor formation, asthma attacks similar to bronchial asthma may occur. The patient's breathing becomes noisy, a characteristic whistle appears, wheezing is often noted. There is no wheezing in the lungs.
Hysteroid asthma sometimes occurs in young women. This is the name for a violation of the nervous system, in which, during breathing, the patient develops convulsive crying, moaning and anguished laughter. At the same time, the chest moves quickly, and inhale and exhale with force. The main symptoms of obstruction are not observed, there are no wheezing in the lungs.
Possible complications of bronchial asthma
The complications of this disease include the following manifestations:
- asthmatic status;
- emphysema;
- pulmonary heart;
- spontaneous pneumothorax.
The most dangerous for the patientās life is a prolonged asthma attack, which cannot be eliminated with the help of simple medications. At the same time, bronchial obstruction is persistent, respiratory failure increases greatly, sputum does not stand out.
Flow algorithm
Bronchial asthma, flow algorithm:
- At the first stage, the symptoms of the disease are very similar to a prolonged attack of suffocation, the patientās condition does not improve after taking bronchodilator drugs, and in some cases, after their administration, everything only worsens; sputum no longer leaves. The attack can last for 12 hours, in some cases more.
- The second stage of the disease is characterized by more complex symptoms, unlike the first. The lumen of the bronchi is completely clogged with viscous mucus - the air stops flowing into the lower parts of the lungs, and the doctor, while listening to the patient at this stage of the development of the disease, reveals the absence of respiratory sounds in the lower parts. This condition is called "dumb lung." The patient's condition continues to worsen, the skin color changes to blue, the gas composition of the blood changes - the body lacks the incoming oxygen.
- At the third stage of the development of the lesion, against the background of an acute lack of air, a coma occurs, which in half the cases ends in the death of the patient.
Differential diagnosis
During the differential diagnosis of bronchial asthma, the doctor prescribes a series of examinations to the patient, which includes:
- blood analysis;
- chest x-ray;
- sputum analysis;
- identification of external respiration functions.
From the above examinations, a specialist will be able to draw up a general picture of the disease and assess the patient's condition. An X-ray will help determine the condition of the lungs, identify the presence of an inflammatory process and other health problems. Examination of sputum and respiratory organs will help determine the bacteria and general condition of the lungs, and a study of the functions of external respiration will show the volume of the lungs, breathing problems and their severity.
After receiving the results of all tests, the doctor can begin diagnostic measures by eliminating the symptoms of the disease. In this case, bronchial asthma and other chronic lung diseases are simultaneously investigated.
Main symptoms
The diagnosis of "bronchial asthma" often appears as a result of heredity, so the doctor without fail receives information about the health of close relatives of the patient. He also determines the clinical picture of the disease.
Symptoms of bronchial asthma in adults:
- the patient suffers from acute cough, which appears in the morning and evening;
- when coughing, a small amount of sputum may come out from the patient;
- the patient suffers from severe shortness of breath during a coughing fit;
- the personās overall disability worsens during the development of an attack, when the patient is calm, he has a certain amount of strength;
- in asthmatics, along with coughing fits, allergic rashes appear throughout the body.
It is important to remember that bronchial asthma is also common in children, as they often get this disease from their parents.
Bronchial asthma can occur in three forms:
- Light form. The disease almost does not bother the patient. Symptoms of the lesion occur no more than once a week and mainly in the daytime. Attacks of bronchial cough rarely occur at night - no more than 2 times a month.
- The average form of the disease. An asthma attack occurs in a patient almost daily. At night, cough does not appear more often than once a week.
- Severe form of the disease. The patient regularly experiences asthma attacks, which occur at night. With this form of the disease, it is very important for the patient to provide immediate assistance and begin comprehensive and effective treatment, which will help improve the patient's condition and restore health.
It must be remembered that any form of bronchial asthma requires strict monitoring by a doctor. This is especially true for young children, as their immune system is highly susceptible to various diseases. Can I do sports with bronchial asthma? No, physical activity should be postponed for a while.
Obstructive pulmonary disease
Disease bronchial asthma requires mandatory monitoring by your doctor, as it manifests itself as problems with the movement of air flow in the lungs. A defeat in the initial stages of development may not bother a person, but over time, coughing begins to increase and appear already in the morning and evening. Also, as the disease progresses, the color of sputum changes to yellow or green.
The main symptoms of a chronic obstructive disease include:
- frequent shortness of breath, which over time becomes only stronger;
- the patient has right ventricular failure and a pulmonary heart is formed;
- a person is rapidly losing weight;
- he has a blue skin - cyanosis;
- the patient's condition rapidly worsens, the symptoms of the lesion only increase.
So that the symptoms of the disease appear less, and bronchial asthma does not progress, it is important to consult a doctor for the first health problems. Modern diagnostics of the patientās condition, determining the history of bronchial asthma, medical examination and drawing up the correct and effective treatment - all this will help to improve the patientās condition and not aggravate the development of the disease.
Features of differential diagnosis
To establish an accurate diagnosis, the doctor must conduct a differential diagnosis of bronchial and cardiac asthma. It is important to remember that children almost do not suffer from a chronic form of lung disease, such a disease occurs at an older age.
When conducting differential diagnosis of bronchial asthma, doctors pay special attention to:
- The nature of the disease. Bronchial asthma most often arises as a result of heredity, and a person acquires COPD over time under the influence of negative environmental factors (working in an enterprise with harmful conditions, smoking, poor environmental conditions, living near industrial complexes).
- Age category. Children are most often exposed to bronchial asthma, a chronic obstructive disease affects older people. But asthma can occur in people of any age category.
- Features of the manifestation of symptoms. COPD is characterized by persistent symptoms that progress and worsen over time. Symptoms of bronchial asthma are distinguished by their vivid picture and frequency.
- Features of the patientās lifestyle. COPD disease most often occurs in people who smoke or those who work in harmful enterprises. Bronchial asthma can occur in a person who leads an incorrect lifestyle. Also, children are affected.
- The manifestation of the disease. In COPD, a person has pulmonary obstruction, and bronchial asthma is accompanied by allergies and a rash on the body.
- Rapid shortness of breath. With COPD, shortness of breath begins even after minimal physical activity, and with asthma only after some time has passed.
- The appearance of a pulmonary heart. In patients with COPD, the atrium, ventricle, and organ walls increase. With asthma, such symptoms are not observed.
To make a more accurate and correct diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe a comprehensive examination and a medical history to the patient.
Disease treatment
When assisting with bronchial asthma, the doctor prescribes the patient a daily intake of medicines that help reduce the inflammatory process in the bronchi and expand them. The most effective drugs:
- inhaled glucocorticosteroids;
- systemic glucocorticosteroids;
- prolonged exposure inhalants;
- Cromons
- leukotriene modifiers.
Symptomatic drugs or ambulance medications that help eliminate an attack of bronchospasm.
Any disease adversely affects human health. To avoid its appearance, a person should follow some preventive measures: lead a healthy lifestyle, strengthen the immune system and protect your body from allergens.