Asthma is a heterogeneous disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways, whose main symptoms are coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and shortness of breath. According to the Ministry of Health, it is estimated that 23.2% of the Brazilian population lives with asthma. With the Brazilian population of 214.3 million, it is estimated that more than 49 million people have the condition.
An allergy is the exaggerated and mistaken reaction of our immune system against some harmless substance. Data from the Brazilian Association of Allergy and Immunology (ASBAI) show that up to 30% of people in Brazil have an allergy.
“Allergies can be divided into respiratory, skin and food diseases. Depending on some factors such as age, there may be more incidents or not, such as respiratory and food diseases that occur more in early childhood”, highlights allergist and immunologist Patrícia Rodrigues Ferreira Marques, who works at the Órion Complex clinical center, in Goiânia. .
This year, the day that highlights both diseases coincided. The first Tuesday of May is observed as World Asthma Day and National Allergy Prevention Day – on May 7th. Another point that unites these illnesses is that the most common asthma is allergic, which can be triggered by inhaling allergens, such as dust, dust mites, mold and also asthma caused by irritating agents, smoke, cleaning products, perfume, among others. .
“Scientific studies indicate that our airways are made up of very similar mucous membranes. A patient who has an allergic inflammatory disease may have rhinitis, asthma, dermatitis and/or allergic conjunctivitis”, explains allergist Patrícia Marques. “As asthma is a disease that has a genetic component, people of any age can be affected. There are peculiarities of each age group”, adds the specialist.
She provides guidance on the prevention of allergic asthma. “Patients with asthma, as it is a chronic inflammatory disease, should be instructed to clean the environment where they live and avoid contact with polluted or smoky places. Crowds of people can also increase the risk of infection for them,” she points out.
The immunologist details that the intensity of the disease will influence how to treat it. “A medical evaluation will detect the severity, which is taken into consideration for drug treatment, which can include topical corticosteroids, bronchodilators and even immunobiologicals”.
