ASTHMA

What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic (long-term) lung disease that causes the air passages to become inflamed and narrow. If asthma is not controlled, the red blood cells in your body get less oxygen than they need and can become sickle shaped.

People with asthma have more sickle cell pain episodes than people without asthma. They have a greater chance of developing acute chest syndrome than people without asthma. They also miss more days from work and school.

Signs of asthma include:

These signs often happen or get worse when:

◦ It’s nighttime

◦ You exercise

◦ You have a virus

◦ You have allergies

◦ The weather changes

◦ You laugh or cry hard

◦ You are stressed

Treatment

Guidelines

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute have guidelines for your provider to use to treat asthma. These include:

These include:

• testing for how well your lungs work using a tool called a pulmonary function testing machine or spirometry. 

• controlling asthma with medicines, including inhalers and medicines by mouth

• teaching you how to avoid triggers and how to respond to your symptoms using an asthma action plan.

Diagnosis and symptoms. Talk with your provider about asthma treatment if you have the following:

🄯 A diagnosis of asthma, given by a medical professional.

🄯 Trouble breathing because of wheezing or shortness of breath.

🄯 Symptoms of asthma, but your provider has had trouble diagnosing it because you have sickle cell disease.

• Talk to your provider if you have symptoms of asthma, such as cough, wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), chest tightness, or shortness of breath.

• The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute have guidelines to treat asthma.

• Asthma that is not controlled can make your sickle cell disease worse.