Causes and Triggers of Asthma

Those people who readily develop antibodies of IgE class against common materials present in the environment can also develop asthma.

Such antibodies are present in 30-40% of the western population, and there is a link between serum IgE levels and both the prevalence of asthma and airway responsiveness to histamine or methacholine.

Genetic and environmental factors affect serum IgE levels and may turn out to play a key role in the development of asthma.

Early childhood exposure to allergens and maternal smoking can also cause IgE production. It has been suggested growing up in a relatively clean environment can predispose towards an IgE response to allergens. On the other hand, growing up in a dirtier environment may allow the immune system to avoid developing allergic responses!

Occupational sensitizers

Over 200 materials encountered in the workplace are recognized as giving rise to occupational asthma. These are usually recognized as occupational diseases in the western world.

Asthma sufferers in insurable employment who can prove their workplace contributed to their condition are eligible for statutory compensation provided they apply within 10 years of leaving the occupation in which the asthma developed (UK).

The risk of developing occupational asthma increases in smokers.

The proportion of workers developing occupational asthma depends on their exposure, so the correct enclosure of industrial processes and appropriate ventilation can greatly reduce the risk of contracting Asthma

Non-specific factors
Characteristic feature of bronchial hyper reactivity in asthmatics mean as well as reacting to specific antigens their airways will also respond to a wide variety of non-specific stimuli.

Cold air and exercise
Many asthmatics may experience an attack of wheezing after they have completed prolonged or non-stop exercise especially in a cold environment. The attack doesn't occur during the middle of their exercise period but towards the end. The inhalation of cold, dry air can also cause an asthmatic attack.

Environmental Pollution
Contact with cigarette smoke, car exhaust fumes, strong perfumes or high concentrations of dust in the atmosphere can be strong factors in causing an asthmatic attack.

Epidemics
Major epidemics of asthma have been recorded when large amounts of allergens have been released into the air, (e.g. there was a soy bean epidemic in Barcelona.)

Further insignificant epidemics of asthma have occurred during periods of heavy atmospheric contamination in industrialized areas which is caused by the presence of high concentrations of sulphur dioxide, ozone and nitrogen dioxide in the air.

Food
Certain foods such as wine can trigger an asthma attack.

Emotion
Asthma is also influenced by certain emotions such as laughing, crying etc. But there is no proof people with asthma are any more psychologically disturbed than their non-asthmatic peers.

Drugs Used with Asthma
Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs, chiefly aspirin, have a major role in the development and precipitation of attacks in approximately 5% of people with asthma.

Immediate asthma
This is the most common response. An attack begins within minutes of contact with the allergen, reaches its maximum in 15-20 minutes and subsides after 1 hour.

Late-phase reactions
Following an instantaneous reaction many asthmatics may develop more prolonged and sustained attacks that respond inadequately to the inhalation of bronchodilator drugs.

Dual asthmatic response
This is a combination of an early reaction followed by a late reaction.

Recurrent asthmatic reactions
Development of a late-phase response is associated with increases in underlying level of airway hyper reactivity that individuals can show with systematic episodes of asthma on subsequent days.

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