2023-05-01 12:00:00
Asthma is a chronic disease of the respiratory system characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, called bronchi, that carry air to the lungs. The swelling and narrowing can cause breathing difficulties, chest tightness, and coughing, especially at night and in the early morning hours. Asthma can affect people of all ages, although it usually starts in childhood..
Asthma symptoms can range from mild to severe and can be different for each person. Some of the common symptoms of asthma include:
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
Wheezing, which is a high-pitched sound when breathing in, especially when exhaling.
Chest tightness.
Persistent cough, especially at night and in the early hours of the morning.
Fatigue or weakness during physical activity.
Climate change is to blame for 37% of heat deaths
In Spain, around 1,000 people die from asthma every year, sometimes exceeding deaths from traffic. That is to say, a mortality rate of approximately 1.3 deaths per 100,000 population. However, in general asthma deaths tend to be higher in low- and middle-income countries, where access to medical care and adequate preventive and control treatments is limited.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Burden of Disease Study, these are the death rates from asthma in the countries where there are more victims:
Afghanistan: Approximately 30.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants
Central African Republic: Approximately 29.5 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants
Timor read: Approximately 27.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants
Papua New Guinea: Approximately 27.4 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants
Sierra Leona: Approximately 26.5 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants
Chad: Approximately 26.4 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants
Lesotho: Approximately 25.3 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants
Kiribati: Approximately 25.1 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants
Solomon Islands: Approximately 24.9 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants
Guinea-Bissau: Approximately 24.3 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants
DIA MUNDIAL DEL ASMA
He World Asthma Day It is celebrated on the first Tuesday of May each year. The date for 2023 is May 2. The reason behind this commemoration is to raise awareness about the disease, promote prevention, proper diagnosis and treatment, as well as highlight the importance of research and support for people living with asthma.
World Asthma Day was established by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) in 1998 in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other health organizations around the world.
This is how extreme heat affects your body
INCREASE DUE TO DROUGHT AND OTHER FACTORS
The prevalence of asthma in children in Spain is estimated at approximately 10%, but this percentage could increase due to environmental factors. Children exposed to dangerous heat waves and longer, hotter summers are at greater risk of developing respiratory illnesses, as the extra heat and sunlight generate ozone at ground level, which triggers asthma.
In addition to pollution, currently Spain faces severe droughts. Rain helps clean the atmosphere and reduces pollution levels, but during droughts, the opposite happens: there are anticyclones, the air does not circulate, and air quality worsens, especially in large cities. Stagnant air favors the spread of respiratory problems and allergies. Consequently, cases of childhood asthma may be increasing due to the current drought, as warned by the Spanish Society of Clinical Immunology, Allergology and Pediatric Asthma (SEICAP).
In addition to pollution and drought, there are other factors to consider that can increase asthma cases:
Changes in lifestyle: Urbanization and modern lifestyles have led to an increase in the time children spend indoors, which can increase their exposure to indoor allergens and pollutants. In addition, it has been suggested that lack of exposure to certain microorganisms during childhood could affect the development of the immune system and increase the risk of asthma and allergies, a hypothesis known as the “hygiene hypothesis”.
According to a study of Thomas Platts-Mills, from the University of Virginia, if children spend more time watching television, playing video games or surfing the Internet and less time outside playing outdoors, this could also influence the probability of suffering from asthma. Platts-Mills points out that it is no coincidence that asthma rates in the United States began to rise after the appearance of popular children’s television shows such as Mickey Mouse Club. Lack of lung exercise from outdoor play may be enough to increase susceptibility to asthma.
The Guadalperal dolmen, the Spanish “Stonehenge”
Genetic factors: Genetic predisposition also plays a role in the development of asthma. Children with a family history of asthma or allergies are at higher risk of developing the disease.
Obesity: Childhood obesity is another factor that has been linked to an increase in asthma cases. Obesity can increase inflammation throughout the body, which could affect the airways and increase the risk of asthma.
smoke from burning wood it also has hundreds of carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic or simply toxic compounds. For that reason, children who live in homes with fireplaces are more likely to develop asthma, cough, bronchitis, sleep problems, and breathing disorders.
Still, the increased prevalence of childhood asthma is a complex phenomenon that likely involves a simultaneous interaction of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. More research is needed to fully understand this increase and to develop effective strategies to prevent and treat asthma in children.
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