Chronic Asthma and Acute Asthma Exacerbation

Asthma
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Asthma
1.0. Introduction
Asthma is a diseased condition of respiratory organs, characterized by narrowed and swelled airways and production of extra mucus. Asthma makes triggers increased coughing, and breathing becomes difficult. This paper aims to describe chronic asthma and acute asthma exacerbation, their similarity and differences, the impact of behavior factor on the pathophysiology of both disorders, and diagnosis and treatment.
2.0. Discussion
2.1. Chronic Asthma and Acute Asthma Exacerbation
Chronic asthma is characterized by narrowing and inflammation of respiratory airways; while chronic refers to a delayed onset of the disease, usually more than six months. The common symptoms of chronic asthma include coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and recurrent periods of wheezing (Mayo Clinic, 2019). Acute asthma is mostly incurred by the viral infections of the respiratory tract among children (Loo & Wark, 2016). The acute asthma exacerbation is comprised of sub-acute or acute incidences of increasingly deteriorating chest tightness, wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.
2.2. Similarity and Differences between Chronic Asthma and Acute Asthma Exacerbation
The main similarity between chronic asthma and acute asthma exacerbation lies in the signs and symptoms of diseases. Both diseases are characterized by chest tightness, wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath (Denlinger et al., 2017). However, the major difference can be observed in the duration and onset of the diseases. Chronic asthma is mostly developed over a long period (mostly more than six months), whereas a sudden onset of the symptoms presents acute asthma exacerbation.
2.3. Impact of Behavior Factor on the Pathophysiology of Both Disorders
Numerous studies have shown that passive smoking is a major reason in the development of asthma in adults as well as children and is considered as one of the strongest risk factors. Even smoking by a pregnant mother during pregnancy can disrupt the development of fetal lung. In the fetus, it leads to imbalances in the airways and lung tissue and affects the maturation of surfactant, i.e., the protective lining of the alveoli, which significantly increases the risk of developing asthma in an unborn child, approximately ten times. Children of smoker parents are more likely to suffer from allergic diseases and respiratory infections, which can also trigger their development of acute asthma exacerbations. The spread of active tobacco smoking among children or adolescents is currently attributed to an increase in the incidence of asthma in this age group. No less important is passive and active tobacco smoking in the occurrence of bronchial asthma in adults. Smoking increases the risk of developing asthma at any age.
Another behavioral factor is an allergy. A seasonal increase in the level of certain aeroallergens in the air causes the development ...