H1N1 Swine Flu and Asthma are Deadly Combination

The New England Journal of Medicine recently published a report showing that almost one-third of adults and children hospitalize with the H1N1 swine flu have asthma. That makes asthma the top chronic condition that makes having the H1N1 swine flu even more complicated and potentially deadly.

Asthma is more common in children than in adults, and swine flu seems to strike younger people more often than older ones. This is completely different than the seasonal flu, which affects less children and more adults.

In the study, 45 percent of the hospitalized patients were under age 18, and only 5 percent were 65 or older. "If you are a young adult and you have asthma, you are in double jeopardy," stated Richard Gower, M.D., the president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Asthma causes 4,000 deaths a year in the United States. This is without the added problem of the H1N1 swine flu. Asthma can occur in anyone at any time of life from infancy to adulthood. In some children with asthma, the disease goes away as they enter adolescence or adulthood. However, there is no cure for asthma, though symptoms sometimes decrease over time. Asthma is not contagious and poses no risk to others.

Many people experience similar symptoms when they get the H1N1 swine flu. This includes fever, congestion, and possibly nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Most of the time, swine flu symptoms can be successfully battled with bed rest and liquids. However, those who have asthma are at a higher risk of complications when they get the H1N1 swine flu.

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People with asthma are at risk for breathing trouble with infections in general, not just the H1N1 swine flu. The best course of action for people with asthma during the H1N1 swine flu pandemic is to:

*Take asthma medication daily, even when not ill. It can help protect the lungs from triggers such as infections.
*Get vaccinated for the H1N1 swine flu. The CDC recommends the shot, not nasal spray, which is safer for asthmatics.
*Get treatment quickly if you get the H1N1 flu or symptoms and have asthma. Prevention is better than waiting.

The H1N1 swine flu is spreading rapidly across the United States. Those with chronic conditions such as asthma should be preventative and although patients do not always have to go into see their necessarily physician, they need to contact them if they have high risk conditions.

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Cheryl Phillips
HULIQ.com

sources: AAFA, Health.com, Wikipedia