It is readily thought that asthma appears in childhood. And that’s often true. But genuine asthma is triggered for the first time at puberty, in the fifties, sometimes even at the age of 70. Not always in the form of a crisis where the breathing becomes wheezy. This delays diagnosis and leads to ineffective treatments.
Faced with this observation, five women pulmonologists decided to react. They created a “women and lungs” working group within the French language pulmonology society. Objective: to increase awareness and recognition of female asthmatic disease.
Asthma, what is it exactly?
asthma, it is a chronic disease that is characterized by difficulty in breathing, accompanied or not by a dry cough, attacks of shortness of breath with gasping breathing. The frequency and intensity of seizures varies over time and from person to person. Symptoms can thus appear several times a day or a week, like twice a year, occur without a specific cause, worsen during physical exertion or at night.
Asthma can also be manifested by recurrent bronchitis with wheezing or a persistent dry cough after an infectious episode. The diagnosis is based on the finding of a bronchial obstruction, measured by the FEV (Maximum expiratory volume per second) which decreases or the peak-flow, which measures the exhaled breath.
Seizures sometimes begin at puberty
Asthma generally develops on an immune terrain favorable to allergies. But at puberty, more girls become affected than boys. In question: female hormones that create a particular bronchial reactivity. “The bronchi are lined with hormonal receptors, which makes them sensitive to hormonal upheavals”, explains Professor Chantal Raherison-Semjen, pulmonologist at the Haut-Levêque hospital in Bordeaux.
Nearly 25% of young girls with asthma also notice a worsening of their asthma (crisis) during the premenstrual period. In those who are thin, oral contraception could also be a contributing factor. Finally, at this age, as throughout life, we must think about the harmful role of tobacco.
During pregnancy, it is necessary to treat
More than 20% of asthmatics reduce their treatment when they find out they are pregnant. Sometimes, moreover, on the “bad” advice of their doctor. We know today that this is a mistake.
“The necessary medications (inhaled corticosteroids) are safe for the baby. It is therefore better to continue them as usual than to have seizures during pregnancy. poorly controlled asthma exposes you to more serious episodes, leading to hospitalizations. This above all increases the risk of prematurity and low birth weight children, ”says Dr Elisabeth Biron, private hospital Jean Mermoz, in Lyon. The baby will also have fewer respiratory infections if the asthma has been under control. Pregnancy can even be an opportunity to start treatment. Which is possible, whatever the term.
At menopause, beware of shortness of breath
In all women (and men!), respiratory capacity decreases with age, but even more so if the bronchi contract due to the onset of asthma. The risk of seeing this disease develop at this age is greater in women who are thin, who take hormone treatment, who smoke. But the signs are often misleading.
Unusually short of breath at 50? You have to ask yourself the question and have your breath measured, the only way to know if you are asthmatic or not. This will allow effective treatment to be initiated (inhaled corticosteroids, anti-leukotrienes, bronchodilators in the event of an attack). Well controlled, asthma in no way prevents you from leading a normal and sporty life.
What protects against disease
With an atopic parent (who suffers from allergies), the risk of becoming allergic is multiplied by four. With two parents, it’s 10 times more. This obviously increases the risk of developing asthma.
– Breastfeeding is protective, whether the mother is asthmatic or not.
– Avoid, during pollution peaks, strollers and sports: pollution clearly increases the risk of developing the disease in the event of genetic predisposition. And studies have shown that living near a road axis represents a factor of aggravation of asthma.
– Reduce irritating factors and indoor air pollutants (tobacco, air purification, incense…) are obvious precautions for the health of the whole family. And even more of that of asthmatics.
Namely: the role of domestic animals (the cat in particular) is ultimately poorly understood.