Asthma in elderly
Elderly asthmatics need to take special care of themselves because asthma-related deaths are highest in the 75 year plus age group.There are a number of possible reasons for this:
- As we age our body loses its flexibility and elasticity. The airways unfortunately are no exception
- Taking large quantities of bronchodilators over the years has made your airways have less tone and to close on less provocation
- Each time you have a chest infection, pneumonia or a severe asthma attack, the lungs get tiny scars which have an affect on their efficiency
- Due to other health problems, many aged people are not able to exercise and it is well documented that a fit person copes better with asthma
- Not taking good care of your health means more illness and more illness means more asthma
- The chronic pain of conditions like arthritis puts a great stress on the body, increasing the likelihood of asthma attacks
- Long-term use of steroids weakens the immune system, putting you at greater risk of chest infection, fungus infections and illness
What you can do about it
- The bottom line with any asthmatic of any age is to take good care of yourself. When you get sick, take antibiotics if you have an infection, increase your fluid intake, keep warm, avoid foods or activities which give you asthma and get plenty of rest.
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