Asthma Control Test (ACT), a simple assessment method to determine whether a sufferer’s asthma is controlled or not.
Lung Specialist Doctor at Semen Padang Hospital (SPH) Dr. dr Masrul Basyar SpP (K) FISR stated that asthma cannot be cured or can only be relieved. Therefore, to anticipate the condition getting worse, the sufferer is obliged to avoid trigger factors for exacerbations (attacks) such as environmental factors.
“Usually, doctors will recommend an inhaler as a treatment when asthma symptoms appear. Inhalation therapy is a way of administering drugs in aerosol form and directly to target organs in the airway, ”he explained.
He explained, there are three ways of working inhalations, namely:
1. Impaction: The movement and impact on the surface of the airways where the particles stick to the bronchial mucosa.
2. Sedimentation: Particles on the bronchial mucosa due to the effect of gravity.
3. Diffusion: The particles are very small, in the alveoli
Doctor Masrul also provides tips and advice for maintaining health for people with asthma, especially during a pandemic, namely don’t leave asthma medication. People with asthma can still lower their risk of infection or develop serious complications of Covid-19. The important point, continue to use the asthma inhaler every day as prescribed.
“This will help reduce the risk of asthma attacks triggered by respiratory viruses, including the coronavirus. “Make sure we have an adequate supply of asthma medication, including treatment and rescue inhalers,” he added.
Then he also appealed to asthmatics to manage stress. Doctor Masrul revealed that stress can also inhibit the immune system and people with asthma can be very stressed knowing their risk of developing Covid-19 complications can increase so that anxiety can lead to asthma attacks, or worsen it after we have asthma.
“Patients usually know the factors or allergens that trigger their asthma. Realizing this can help them manage or even avoid asthma attacks, ”he said.