INTRODUCTION

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that causes airway

hyper-responsiveness mucosal edema, and mucus production. This inflammation

ultimately leads to recurrent episodes of asthma symptoms: cough, chest tightness,

wheezing and dyspnea.

In 1995 the international study of asthma and allergies in children conducted

phase 1 of a worldwide study to describe the prevalence and severity of asthma, rhinitis

and eczema among school children. One hundred fifty five centers in 56 countries

participated, including the Philippines. More than 450,000 children were interviewed

using a one-page written questionnaire or a video asthma questionnaire. The study

showed that the prevalence of asthma symptoms in children varied greatly in different

populations with differences ranging between 20 and 60 fold. The highest prevalence

was found from centers in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Three

thousand two hundred and seven children in metro manila aged 13-14 years

participated in the ISAAC. Participants accomplished a 12 month prevalence of self

reported asthma symptoms from written questionnaires and from video questionnaires.

The results showed that approximately 12% and 8% prevalence based on responses to

the written questionnaires and to the video questionnaires respectively. In a subsequent

study, 12.3% of the same population reported wheezing.

Asthma differs from the other obstructive lung disease is that it is largely

reversible, either spontaneously or with treatment. Patients with asthma may experience

symptom-free periods alternating with acute exacerbations, which last from minutes to

hours or days. Asthma can occur at any age and is the most common chronic disease
in the childhood. Despite increased knowledge regarding the pathology of asthma and

the development of better medications and management plans, the death rate from

asthma continues to increase. For most patients it is a disruptive disease, affecting

school and work attendance, occupational choices, physical activity, and general quality

of life.

Allergy is the strongest predisposing factor for asthma. Chronic exposure to

airway irritants or allergens also increases the risk for developing asthma. Common

allergens can be seasonal (e.g. grass, tree and wood pollens) or perennial (e.g. mold,

dust, roaches, or animal dander). Common triggers for asthma symptoms and

exacerbations in patients with asthma include airway irritants (e.g. air pollutants, cold,

heat, weather changes, strong odours or perfumes, smoke), exercise, stress or

emotional upsets, sinusitis with postnasal drip, medications, viral respiratory tract

infections and gastroesophageal reflux. Most people who have asthma are sensitive to

a variety of triggers. A patient’s asthma condition will change depending upon the

environment, activities, management practice, and other factors.

On a pregnant woman with asthma, they will have difficulty pulling in air; on

exhalation, she has too much difficulty in releasing air that she makes a high pitched

whistling sound from air being pushed past the bronchial narrowing. Asthma has the

potential of reducing the oxygen supply to a fetus leading to preterm birth or fetal growth

restriction if a major attack should occur during pregnancy, although this is not likely

with well-managed asthma. Many women find that their asthma improves during

pregnancy because of the high circulating levels of corticosteroids that are present. A

woman should check with her physician or nurse-midwife about the safety of the
medication she routinely takes for this disorders before pregnancy to be certain it will

be safe to continue using them during pregnancy and breast feeding.