10 Things Women Need To Know About Asthma

Every day in America:

* 40,000 people miss school or work due to asthma.
* 30,000 people have an asthma attack.
* 5,000 people visit the emergency room due to asthma.
* 1,000 people are admitted to the hospital due to asthma.
* 14 people die from asthma.

And more of them are female than male.

The following advice comes from the Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics(AANMA) and appeared in a guest column in their publication Allergy and Asthma Today. It is written by Nancy K. Ostrom, MD, who is in private practice with the Allergy and Asthma Medical Group and Research Center, San Diego, CA, and a fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

“Studies of disease trends in the United States show distinct patterns for asthma in women, yet our understanding of specific causes is limited. Greater awareness of this issue and further research will help us customize diagnosis and treatment of asthma in women. Here’s what we know:

1. Asthma is more common in women than men after late childhood. Young boys have a higher rate of asthma than young girls. But some time around adolescence, the balance shifts over to girls and stays there. By middle age, women with asthma outnumber men almost 2 to 1.

2. Asthma hospitalization and death rates are higher in women than men. This statistic is due in part to the higher incidence of asthma in women (see point #1), but it may also be related to hormones (see point #5) and other factors.

3. Obesity is a risk factor for asthma in women. Adult women with a higher body mass index (BMI, body weight adjusted for height) have a higher incidence of asthma than other women. The effect of obesity on asthma does not appear to be as important for men. One study showed that girls who became obese as pre-adolescents had a higher incidence of wheezing and asthma later in childhood than non-obese girls. This is an important counseling point for patients and another reason to ensure good health habits in children!

4. Women with asthma may be at higher risk from the effects of smoking than men. Comparison studies of women and men smokers show that women have a higher risk of developing asthma. Clearly smoking and secondhand smoke are risks for developing asthma or worsening asthma symptoms for anyone, but it appears that this risk is even higher for women smokers.

5. Twenty to 40 percent of women experience worsening of asthma symptoms during their menstrual periods, which could lead to emergency room visits and life-threatening episodes. The exact reasons for this are unclear, but it may be due to falling hormone levels during that phase of the menstrual cycle. Keep a daily symptom diary to help you track trends in your asthma symptoms and talk to your doctor about medication strategies during this time.

6. Asthma is one of the most common conditions affecting pregnancy. Four to 8 percent of pregnant women in the United States are affected by asthma. But asthma can be managed effectively for the best outcome for mothers and babies.

7. Asthma severity can improve, worsen or remain unchanged during pregnancy. Patients with severe asthma are particularly likely to experience worsening asthma symptoms during pregnancy, but the effect of pregnancy on asthma symptoms is unpredictable. Asthma should be followed especially closely during pregnancy, and asthma treatment should be customized to each patient.

8. Women often stop using asthma medications during pregnancy. Pregnant women are often concerned about the effect of asthma medications on a fetus and may stop taking or reduce their medications. However…

9. The risk to the mother and fetus of uncontrolled asthma during pregnancy is far greater than the risk of using asthma medications, including inhaled corticosteroids. The goal is to use medications to keep asthma stable by preventing airway inflammation and treating bronchospasms (wheeze and cough spasms) when symptoms first appear. Talk to your doctor about asthma and pregnancy. AANMA’s “Breathing for Two” brochure also offers support, including information on managing asthma during pregnancy, labor and delivery. Call 800.878.4403 to order your free copy.

10. National guidelines for treating asthma should be followed in women of childbearing age and during pregnancy. Get a copy of the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program’s Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma online.”


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