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Complications

By Mayo Clinic staff

Asthma may cause a number of complications, including:

  • Symptoms that interfere with sleep, work or recreational activities
  • Sick days from work or school during asthma flare-ups
  • Permanent narrowing of the bronchial tubes (airway remodeling) that affects how well you can breathe
  • Emergency room visits and hospitalizations for severe asthma attacks
  • Side effects from long-term use of some medications used to stabilize severe asthma

Proper treatment makes a big difference in preventing both short-term and long-term complications caused by asthma.

References
  1. Balkissoon R. Asthma overview. Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. 2008;35:41.
  2. Famta CH, et al. Diagnosis of asthma in adolescents and adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 21, 2010.
  3. Expert panel report 3 (EPR-3): Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma. Bethesda, Md.: National Institutes of Health. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/pdf. Accessed April 21, 2010.
  4. Liu AH, et al. Childhood asthma. In: Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/198605211-3/0/1608/440.html?tocnode=54478148&fromURL=440.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50145-6_3411. Accessed April 21, 2010.
  5. Litonjua AA, et al. Risk factors for asthma. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 21, 2010.
  6. Tang EA, et al. Risk factors for asthma. In: Adkinson N, et al. Middleton's Allergy: Principles and Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05659-5..00042-5--cesec18&uniq=196323107&isbn=978-0-323-05659-5&sid=986291445#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05659-5..00042-5--cesec18%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-323-05659-5. Accessed April 20, 2010.
  7. Famta CH, et al. An overview of asthma management. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 21, 2010.
  8. Bailey W. Patient information: Trigger avoidance in asthma. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 21, 2010.
  9. Updated information on leukotriene inhibitors: Montelukast (marketed as Singulair), zafirlukast (marketed as Accolate), and zileuton (marketed as Zyflo and Zyflo CR). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/DrugSafetyInformationforHeathcareProfessionals/ucm165489.htm. Accessed March 8, 2010.
  10. FDA drug safety communication: New safety requirements for long-acting inhaled asthma medications called long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm200776.htm. Accessed March 8, 2010.
  11. FDA approves new device for adults with severe and persistent asthma. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm209909.htm. Accessed April 28, 1010.
  12. Bronchial thermoplasty. Asthmatx. http://www.btforasthma.com/bronchial-thermoplasty/. Accessed April 28, 2010.
  13. Mark JD. Integrative medicine and asthma. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 2007;54:1007.
  14. Garrod R, et al. Role of physiotherapy in the management of chronic lung diseases: An overview of systematic reviews. Respiratory Medicine. 2007;101:2429.
  15. Bukutu C, et al. Asthma: A review of complementary and alternative therapies. Pediatrics in Review. 2008;29:e44.
  16. Singh BB, et al. Herbal treatments of asthma: A systematic review. Journal of Asthma. 2007;44:685.
  17. Romieu I, et al. Diet and obstructive lung diseases. Epidemiologic Reviews. 2001;23:268.
  18. Mark JD. Asthma. In: Rakel D. Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia Pa.: Saunders; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/157208746-8/0/1494/79.html?tocnode=54112987&fromURL=79.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2954-0..X5001-7--section5_1500. Accessed April 21, 2010.
  19. Mainardi T, et al. Complementary and alternative medicine: Herbs, phytochemicals and vitamins and their immunologic effects. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2009;123:28.
DS00021 May 27, 2010

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