Complete Health Care Guide

The frequency and degree of symptoms vary widely among asthmatics.  Some patients occasionally a moderate and brief crisis and have no obvious symptoms in the meantime. Others were almost always a slight cough and wheezing, with severe exacerbation of symptoms after exposure to known allergens, viral infections, exercise, or nonspecific irritants.

The asthma attack often begins acutely with paroxysms of wheezing, coughing hard and dry, and shortness of breath, or more gradually with symptoms of respiratory distress is slow. The patient experiences shortness of breath with rapid breathing, coughing, chest tightness, wheezing audibly. The crisis may fade rapidly or persist for several hours or days. Sputum expectorated mucus is viscous end crises.

Functional respiratory disorders may persist long after an acute attack even when the patient believes to be cured.  The doctor finds during the crisis a rapid, shallow breathing, tachycardia (rapid heartbeat) and bronchial (sibilant). The episodes are accompanied by prolonged dehydration. The patient anxiety, stands in the same sitting or leaning forward, giving the impression of running out of air. The respiratory movements are quick and effective. The accessory respiratory muscles are recruited, the chest is distended. Expiration is prolonged and painful. Breathing is wheezing.

In severe cases, the patient is unable to speak without stopping to catch his breath. Fatigue and distress the patient are obvious. Cyanosis appears if the crisis is serious. A state of mental confusion and obtundation may herald the onset of progressive respiratory failure.
In severe forms, the sibilant decreases because the airways are blocked by mucus plugs. These signs of auscultation too discreet likely to underestimate the importance of the crisis.
The severity of a crisis is distinguished by:

• the degree of difficulty breathing at rest
• speech difficulties
• cyanosis
• the use of breathing accessory respiratory muscles
• analysis of blood gases.

Status asthmaticus carries a state of acute asphyxia triggered by infection, therapeutic error, emotion, aggression allergic powerful.
It is manifested by an asthma attack that lasts more than 24 hours and do not yield to conventional therapy. An array of respiratory distress soon to occur: rapid breathing, chest distention, cyanosis, right heart failure.

Sweating, impaired consciousness reflected hypercapnia (increased carbon dioxide in the blood). The abolition of breath sounds on auscultation frequently. The risk of cardiovascular collapse is imminent and hospitalization in intensive care is urgently needed.
Between attacks, breath sounds may be normal during quiet breathing. Other times, rales or wheezing may be audible in patients who believe not to be embarrassed.