Asthma: managing improvementMartine CaliceMs. Sierra PilarNUR 223512 May 2014Asthma is a disease of the respiratory system. It causes swelling and narrowing of the air ducts inside the lungs. When this happens you may experience a cough, wheezing when breathing (wheezing), chest tightness, and difficulty breathing. The narrowing results from swelling and muscle spasms of the air tubes. It is a common disease of childhood. Knowing more about the disease can help the patient manage it better. It cannot be cured, but medicine can help control it. Asthma is often triggered by allergies, viral lung infections, or irritants in the air. Allergic reactions can cause wheezing immediately upon exposure to the allergens or many hours later. The most common triggers of asthma include: exercise, infections, usually viral pollution, cigarette smoking, paint fumes. “ An estimated 5.2 million people in the UK suffer from asthma, making its prevalence one of the highest of any country in the world; on average asthma affects people in one in five UK households and is responsible for a hospital admission every 7.5 minutes (Asthma UK 2011)”. Clancy (p. 34). The prevalence of asthma in older adults aged 65 years and older is estimated to be 6–10% in the developed world. Children living in urban areas and from low-income families, the elderly and obese patients are considered an at-risk population. “Older people may have developed asthma during childhood, adolescence or adulthood. Risk factors for developing asthma in adulthood include genetic predisposition, hormonal changes in some women, exposure to indoor and outdoor pollutants, occupational exposures, excess body weight, rhinitis, medications such as beta-blockers and viral and bacterial infections. .half of the paper ...their asthma more effectively achieves physical and mental well-being and leads to fewer hospital admissions and fatal episodes in this group. “Self-management has been defined as the positive outcome of the person and all appropriate individuals and services working together to support them in dealing with the real implications of living the rest of their life with one or more long-term conditions.” (p .56)REFERENCESCarnegie, E., & Jones, A. (2013). Improving asthma management in older adults. Nursing Standard, 28 (13), 50-58. Clancy, J., & Blake, D. (2013). Pathophysiology and pharmacological management of asthma from a nature-nurture perspective. Primary Health Care, 23(7), 34-41Juel, C. and Ulrick, C (2013). Obesity and asthma: impact on severity, control of asthma and response to therapy. Respiratory care, 58(5), 867-873.