Exercise-Induced Asthma

Excerpt

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) occurs during physical exertion and involves a narrowing of the airway. EIB occurs in 40% to 90% of people with asthma and up to 20% of those without asthma. The benefits of regular exercise for all people are well established, and activity is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. People suffering from EIB may avoid exertion due to symptoms of breathlessness, cough, chest tightness, and wheezing. Exercise avoidance has been shown to increase social isolation in adolescents, and it can lead to obesity and poor health. Exercise has paradoxically been shown to improve EIB severity, pulmonary function, and reduce airway inflammation in people with asthma and EIB. Early detection, diagnosis confirmed by the change in lung function during exercise, and treatment can improve quality of life and, when managed appropriately, allows patients to participate freely in exercise without limiting competition at the elite level. Non-pharmacologic treatments addressing the root cause of EIB, an acute steep increase in ventilation and demand on the respiratory system, including warm-up exercises, and protecting the airway from cold, dry air, pollutants, and allergens is recommended. Pharmacologic treatments aimed at the pathophysiologic processes involved in the symptomatic bronchoconstriction, including short-acting beta-agonists (SABA), inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA), and mast cell stabilizing agents (MCSA) are effective and without significant side effects.