Auntie Wang is an old patient of allergic asthma, how she operates on weekdays, listen to her own how to say, "I'm allergic to a variety of allergens such as pollen, mites and other allergens allergies, usually in addition to standardized inhalation of asthma inhalation medication in full dose, but also need to be injected every month of anti-allergic omalizumab, my asthma basically can be stabilized, but lately a thing especially bother me. " In the end, what is it that bothers Auntie Wang?
Auntie Wang came to the first hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Respiratory Health Research Institute, Guangzhou National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Professor Xie Jiaxing asthma specialist outpatient follow-up, mainly because she thought of the arrival of the summer vacation, want to go to the Inner Mongolia prairie with her family, children, because there is a pollen allergy, and is ready to go out after the injection of omalizumab this time, and she asked Professor Xie if she could go? What other medications does she need to prepare?
Prof. Xie told us that most asthma patients can travel as long as their asthma control is relatively stable recently and there is no obvious shortness of breath in daily activities. Before traveling, do your homework and learn about your destination's altitude, temperature, and whether there is a hospital nearby. Patients who are already using a biologic targeting drug such as omalizumab should get a biologic targeting drug injection before traveling.
Prof. Xie told us that the basic medications that asthma patients have to prepare for traveling must not be neglected. Asthma patients need to carry asthma inhaler medication, the most common are Xin Bicuo Du Bao, Shu Lidian, Qier Chang, and now there are some asthma patients use Budi Gefu, Quan Zile, need to check the balance of the drug before traveling to cover the entire trip, and at the same time ready for a variety of reasons (weather, epidemiological prevention and control) led to the extension of the trip possible.
There is also a very important point, you need to carry the oral medication is mainly anti-allergy drugs (loratadine, cetirizine, ibastine, etc.), montelukast. The long term oral hormones need to have enough oral hormones. If you have allergic rhinitis or sinusitis, you need to carry nasal sprays, such as Cochlearia, Renacort, Neosporin, and Aciphex. Usually lower quality of sleep, if you are worried about the excitement of insomnia during the travel process, you can also prescribe sleep medication. If you are not allergic to cold medicine, you can prepare cold medicine.
Professor Xie told us that asthma patients traveling also have to prepare asthma emergency drugs, drugs are mainly emergency aerosol or inhalation drugs, there are mainly three kinds, it is recommended to carry one of them:
1, short-acting bronchodilator salbutamol; come up with two sprays of salbutamol aerosol spray. 2, budesonide/formoterol inhalation powder (160/4.5 μg). 3, beclomethasone/formoterol inhalation powder (160/4.5 μg). Clometasone/formoterol inhalation aerosol (100/6 μg).
Figure: Three first aid inhaler medications for asthma, image sourced from the internet
Albuterol Aerosol (Figure 1) is a short-acting bronchodilator, which has a rapid onset of action, and can be sprayed again at intervals of 4-8 hours if you feel that you do not have satisfactory control. This aerosol is best sprayed in no more than 8 times a day, because this drug may cause side effects such as panic, hand tremors, and some patients find it difficult to tolerate if they use it too much. On the other hand, it is a receptor-dependent drug, and frequent use in the short term will diminish the subsequent effect. Do not abuse this inhaler;
The other two (Figure ②, ③) belong to the inhalation of glucocorticoids and bronchodilators of the combination of drugs, the combined effect of the drug faster, can be used for rapid relief of symptoms, but also control the airway inflammation of asthma, but also in recent years is more recommended for emergency medication, they are the same with the short-acting bronchodilators can not be used in short-term overdose, it is best to not more than 4-6 times a day! Sprayed in.
Some nebulized medications are appropriate for people with asthma to take on the go?
Professor Xie told us that a few patients who usually have more pronounced asthma symptoms and weaker lung function can also take nebulizer medication with them when they go out. Nebulizer inhalation is the use of high-speed airflow to spray medication in the form of an aerosol, which is then inhaled by the respiratory tract to achieve the purpose of treatment. Because asthma patients have difficulty breathing during an attack, it is difficult to inhale inhaled medication such as budesonide/formoterol inhalation powder, and the use of nebulization does not require the patient's cooperation to make the medication reach the deeper airways, which is more effective.
Commonly used nebulizer drugs are salbutamol, terbutaline, budesonide, beclomethasone and so on, all are independent of the small package, easy to carry, can be immediately nebulized to relieve symptoms.
Nebulizer recommended micro-network nebulizer, with fine and uniform drug particles, less medication, less drug residue, long service life, easy to use at home and out of the house and other advantages. It is very convenient because of its small size, using ordinary batteries or plugging into USB to charge.
Figure: Schematic diagram of "Micro Mesh Nebulizer", image source from the internet.
Of course, you can also carry a "compression pump nebulizer", the current volume of this type of nebulizer is also relatively small, but the use of the need to plug in the electricity, can be used in the hotel hotel, compression pump nebulizer online various platforms can be purchased, ranging from 200-1500 yuan, the use of simple.
Figure: "Compression pump nebulizer" schematic, image source from the network.
Figure: Schematic diagram of the nebulized drug budesonide, image source from the web.
In addition to the previously mentioned emergency aerosol, there are some experienced asthma patients, especially the blood routine eosinophils increased significantly in severe asthma patients, go out and can prepare oral hormones such as prednisone, especially travel destinations are more remote, relatively few medical resources, in case of an acute attack, it is difficult to go to the hospital for a while, you can immediately take 4-6 tablets of oral hormones, and then seek medical attention as soon as possible. As soon as possible after the medical treatment, Professor Xie has been specifically for this popular science 37-year-old man "asthma" acute attack how to calm and composed? ...... his unusual "asthma" but what immediate effect and life-saving prescription?
Prof. Hsieh told us that patients who have had an acute asthma attack in the past can carry a peak expiratory flow meter with them when they go out, which is as important as a sphygmomanometer for those with high blood pressure, or a glucose meter for those with diabetes, and which measures the patient's peak expiratory flow (PEF) to monitor their asthma.
Peak flow meters are portable, easy to use, and can be self-tested at home, and if PEF values have recently dropped to 60-80% or less of a personal best, you need to be alerted to the risk of an acute exacerbation. Rest in place as soon as possible, seek medical attention, or use inhaled asthma medications, etc. They can be purchased online on various platforms for about $100, and after purchase, consult with a specialist on how to use them, and there are many instructional videos available online.
Figure: "Peak flow meter" diagram, image source from the Internet.
"Oxygen saturation meter", asthma patients have an attack due to the continuous spasm of the airway hypoxia, heartbeat accelerated, often pulse or heart rate more than 100 times or even faster. If you have a finger pulse oximeter at home, you can clip your finger for 5-10 seconds to be able to display the blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) and pulse rate (PR), which can be used to determine the extent of the condition. Repeated measurements of oxygen saturation below 92% and a heart rate above 100 beats usually indicate more severe asthma, requiring emergency medication or medical attention as soon as possible.
It can be purchased online on various platforms, usually for about 100-300 dollars, and is very easy to use. People with asthma who need to use inhaled medication for a long time can carry this oximeter with them when they go out, and it's very small, especially if they go to higher altitudes.
Figure: "Oxygen saturation meter" diagram, image source from the Internet.
Finally, Prof. Xie also reminded us that because many asthma patients have rhinitis, sinusitis, or even nasal polyps at the same time, we know that rhinitis sinusitis and asthma belong to "the same airway, the same disease", for these patients traveling is recommended to have a nasal washer, and every day to wash the nose with saline, which is very effective. The nasal wash is small in size and the salt is packed in small individual packs, making it easy to carry. # Healthy Truth Program#