Bronchial asthma pathogenesis and etiology

Bronchial asthma is a chronic disease and, as a rule, episodic. This is the most severe form of allergy. Chronic inflammation results in an increased sensitivity of the bronchi to different environmental influences.

The disease can be hereditary or acquired form. We will consider bronchial asthma - pathogenesis, a clinic, treatment of this ailment. All this is very important to know and to study well if there is a person in the family who suffers from this pathology.

Basic concepts

This is a serious pathology that prevents normal breathing due to narrowed paths leading to the lungs. Attacks can pass independently, but in a heavier farm, only medications help. What is the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma? The scheme of the disease is such that, because of excess mucus produced, spasms and inflammatory swelling thicken the walls of the bronchus, and the gap between them narrows. As a result, air is not supplied in sufficient quantities, which leads to systematic attacks of suffocation, coughing, wheezing and other bright symptoms of asthma.

From this disease, according to statistics, 5% of the European population, the predominant young age suffers. As a rule, these are children under 10 years old. Despite the fact that medicine is constantly exploring this pathology associated with bronchial hyperactivity, the causes of its development, treatment and prevention are not yet fully understood. The etiology and pathogenesis of bronchial asthma often pose scientists at a dead end. But how does this disease develop?

Pathogenesis of bronchial asthma

Pathogenesis - the mechanism of disease development - consists of 2 stages:

• Immunological. When an exciting allergen enters the immune system, inflammation of the mucous membrane occurs.
• Pathophysiological. A natural bronchial reaction to the inflammatory process that occurs in the body.

The mechanism of the appearance of bronchospasm builds up as follows: a long time on the mucosa of the bronchial tree is affected by the stimulus. Mucous swelling, and there is hypersecretion, which causes seizures. What happens to the body in the development of bronchial asthma?

Pathogenesis is accompanied by the following disorders:

• Hyperestrogenemia, leading to an increase in the activity of α-adrenergic receptors and a decrease in the operability of β-adrenergic receptors. With the external action of the allergen simultaneously with these processes, bronchospasm develops.
• Glucocorticosteroid insufficiency increases the level of histamine and bronchus tone, which become sensitive to irritants.
• Hyperthyroidism. The disease is exacerbated and is rapidly developing in people who have increased the amount of thyroid hormones.

The pathogenesis of bronchial asthma is determined by a clinical-pathological examination. Changes occurring in the body can be both internal and external. External factors affecting the development of pathology:

• Psychoemotional state;
• Stress;
• physical exercise;
• Exposure to allergens;
• Influence of chemical stimuli;
• Adverse climate.

Internal factors:

• Disturbances in the endocrine system;
• weak immunity;
• Bronchial hyperactivity.

Home dust is one of the main provocateurs, which leads to asthma. It contains many microorganisms, which are strong allergens.

Severity of Attacks

Despite the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma and the course of the disease, it is necessary to take immediate action. The attack can be brief or last for several hours. After it, the patient becomes much better, and it seems that he is completely cured.

It all depends on the phase of the disease. A person may be slightly obstructed by the airways. A severe stage can manifest itself within a few days and take a few weeks. This form is called asthmatic status. Such outbreaks are very dangerous and can provoke a fatal outcome.

For each form of pathogenesis, there are pathogenetic mechanisms. Of the general, we can distinguish the change in the reactivity and sensitivity of the bronchi, evaluated in response to a physical or pharmacological effect.

When the cause is heredity

A person with a genetic predisposition to asthma can never feel its manifestation, or it will make itself felt at any age:

• 50% - children's age (up to 10 years);
• 30% - up to 40 years;
• 20% after 50 years.

An hereditary factor is the underlying cause of the development of the disease. If the parents suffered from asthma, then the probability that the disease will be transmitted to the child is 30%. However, pathology itself can not be manifested, it must be provoked by something.

That is, with a combination of internal, external factors and the fact of hereditary predisposition, the risk of triggering the mechanism of infectious inflammation increases several fold.

The provoking factors of asthma

The respiratory ways of people suffering from bronchial asthma are extremely irritable and sensitive. The provocative substances that cause seizures are called triggers in another way:

• weather;
• ecological situation;
• Pollen, mold, mushrooms;
• Emotional stimuli;
• Excessive physical activity;
• Smoking, tobacco smoke;
• Medicines;
• Food products;
• House pliers;
• Animals.

Each person undergoes different pathogenesis of bronchial asthma, seizures can be caused by one or more stimuli.

External influence

In most cases, asthma are several factors that act simultaneously on the body. They are divided into several groups:

• Infection;
• Allergens;
• Mechanical and chemical stimuli;
• Meteorological factors;
• Medicines.

To allergens include house dust, pollen of plants, food, medicine, insects, animals. Infectious pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungus. Mechanical and chemical irritants: cotton or silicate dust, smoke, vapors of alkali and acids. Meteorological influences include any changes in weather and atmospheric pressure.

To provoke asthma can b-adrenoblockers, used to combat hypertension, analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs. With the course of the disease, triggers can change.

When the problem is from within

To develop bronchial asthma may due to persistent disruption of immunity, endocrine system, metabolism, increased work of receptors in the bronchial mucosa, malfunctions in the nervous system. All these signs are a consequence of the wrong way of life, the transferred infectious disease, living in a bad ecological situation.

Etiology of bronchial asthma

The etiology and pathogenesis of bronchial asthma is that the disease is heterogeneous and is associated with clinical and epidemiological causes that cause acute episodes. However, it is important to note that this difference is often artificial and affects the classification subcategory.

Concerning the molecular level, the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma can be of two types: allergic and peculiar. The first, as a rule, is associated with the family history of such diseases:

• eczema;
• rhinitis;
• Reactions of erythematous papules;
• hives.

The initial manifestation of the pathology may be accompanied by symptoms resembling a common cold, but after a few days there is shortness of breath, whistles, wheezing and other signs of bronchial asthma.

Symptomatics

Depending on the degree of severity and shape, bronchial asthma has different symptoms. Etiology, pathogenesis, classification are formed by such pronounced signs as a small cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest pains or suffocation attacks. With the latter symptoms, a doctor's examination is a necessary and vitally important procedure.

When the examination was completed and a diagnosis is made, an inhaler is usually prescribed. But in those cases, when its use is performed more often than it was prescribed, it is necessary to immediately seek help from a doctor in charge.

If the symptoms do not pass within 1-2 days, and the inhaler does not help, hospitalization will be required. In the period of attacks of suffocation and difficult speech, an ambulance is called.

Concomitant Symptoms

At the time of exacerbation, the patient has an increased reaction to sharp odors and temperature changes. This indicates inflammatory processes and the activation of drug therapy. One of the most striking signs is the improvement of the condition from taking antihistamines ("Zirtek", "Tsetrin", etc.) and, accordingly, after inhalation. Additional symptoms:

• Dizziness, headache;
• General malaise and weakness;
• Tachycardia (rapid heartbeat);
• Blueing of the skin;
• Signs of emphysema.

Traditional therapy can not remove asthmatic status, this attack is accompanied by prolonged suffocation and impaired consciousness. This condition can lead to death.

The asthmatic response to the rate of bronchial response to an allergen may be early or late. In the first case, seizures begin after 1-2 minutes and end after 20 minutes. The total duration of the asthmatic condition can last up to 2 hours. The late stage causes bronchial hyperactivity after 4-6 hours, the culmination occurs after 8 hours. The duration of the attack is 12 hours.

Complications:

• Emphysematous disorders in the lungs;
• Acute respiratory failure ;
• When air enters the pleural cavity, pneumothorax develops.

There are several forms of asthma on etiology:

• Exogenous (provoked by an allergen);
• Endogenous (provoked by stress and infection);
• Mixed genesis.

The most common is bronchial asthma of the atopic form, which arises from the genetic predisposition to the occurrence of allergic reactions.

What is important to know

The first thing you need to do is contact the doctor, undergo a complete examination, establish an accurate diagnosis and get recommendations for treatment. Only the doctor knows which diseases such as bronchial asthma, etiology, pathogenesis, clinic, treatment. It is important that the patient himself and all his loved ones are always ready for new attacks and know how to help.

To provide effective care, you need to have exhaustive information about all the symptoms, stages and forms of the disease. It is important to know what the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma is. Briefly, one can advise the following: a clear treatment plan should be drawn up with instructions that explain what to do in case of acute attacks. No recommendation, advice or appointment of a doctor can be ignored, it can cost the patient's life. Medicines are taken strictly according to prescription, exclusively at the indicated doses and at certain times.

At hand, wherever the patient is, he and his loved ones should always have the necessary medications, first aid and inhaler. It is also important to keep a diary of symptoms, fix their change, and identify irritants that affect a person's condition. It is important not to panic during the first bouts, but to clearly carry out actions according to the plan.

Physicians are still carefully studying bronchial asthma. Etiology, pathogenesis, clinic of the disease make it possible to diagnose correctly and to appoint competent treatment. As a rule, the doctor prescribes inhalers, aerosols, and if there is an infection, antibiotics are prescribed. As a preventive measure, the most important recommendation remains the exclusion of factors that provoke seizures. To do this, you need to monitor the cleanliness of the house, avoid environmentally polluted places, quit smoking and take all prescribed medications.