Asthma is a common medical condition among the elderly. CDPAP caregivers must ensure the health and wellbeing of older patients suffering from asthma with proper care.
If you are a CDPAP caregiver or considering becoming one, this guide details asthma in elderly patients so you can better prepare.
What Is Asthma?
Asthma is a common respiratory tract disorder that affects the lungs. It creates inflammation in the air passages of the lungs, which can lead to wheezing, tightness in the chest, and breathing difficulties.
In children, asthma is often managed with good control of their environment and by avoiding triggers such as colds or allergies.
In adults who have been diagnosed with asthma for years, treatment may be more complicated and require a combination of medications to control their symptoms. The most effective treatment plans can vary from person to person based on a variety of factors.
These factors include age, type and severity of asthma, number of other medical conditions present, smoking status, and use of other medications.
Since asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the lungs, the airways swell and produce an excess of mucus, leading to inflammation and varying degrees of obstruction.
Asthma in adults can be caused by various factors, including:
● Occupational exposures to dust or fumes
● Respiratory viruses
● Chemical irritants
● Cigarette smoke
● Allergies
Moreover, symptoms vary from person to person, but common symptoms include:
● Tightness in the chest
● Shortness of breath
● Wheezing
● Coughing
● Sweating
It remains unclear exactly why asthma develops in some people as they age and not others. That said, there are known causes of asthma.
What Causes Asthma?
There are many factors that contribute to asthma and its onset. Some of these risk factors include:
Age: Asthma is the single most common chronic medical condition in children under the age of 18. In fact, it is estimated that more than 6 million children suffer from asthma.
In addition, aging often results in a decrease of strength in the respiratory muscles, reduced elastic recoil, and an increase in chest wall rigidity. As such, it is believed that natural aging can cause asthma to develop.
Gender: Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with asthma as men.
Genetics: Asthma often runs in families, so it’s important to take this into consideration when caring for someone who has a family history of the condition.
It is believed that a patient’s genetic susceptibility to asthma is about 50%. Moreover, the remaining 50% is attributed to environmental factors.
Environment: Environmental factors can contribute to asthma development. Things like animal dander, pollen, smoke, and dust can all play a role in a patient developing asthma.
Smoking: Smoking plays a significant role in the onset of asthma symptoms. Moreover, second-hand smoke is shown to be even more harmful.
Symptoms of Asthma
The symptoms of asthma can vary from patient to patient. For most patients, the most common symptom is difficulty breathing. This difficulty may manifest as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, or coughing. Other symptoms include:
● Constant, severe tightening in the chest
● Difficulty speaking or sleeping
● Increased rate of breathing
● Increased heartbeat
● Blue fingers or lips
● Drowsiness
● Exhaustion
● Confusion
● Dizziness
● Fainting
One symptom that’s not always present is asthma attacks. These are often triggered by allergens or irritants that set off an immediate response in the airways. Asthma attacks are characterized by feelings of tightness in the chest and difficulty breathing.
Additionally, these sudden attacks may result in wheezing and fatigue. Asthma attacks are scary, as they can appear without warning, causing you to feel like there’s an anvil on your chest.
As you can imagine, this can have very serious consequences. So if you experience any sudden or acute respiratory symptoms, you should consult with a medical professional immediately for emergency care.
Please note that asthma attacks can be fatal. Such occurrences are particularly tragic because they are preventable with proper care. If you are a CDPAP caregiver and your elderly patient suffers an asthma attack, you must take action immediately.
Even mild asthma attacks can turn into big problems if left unaddressed. They can quickly become severe and have fatal consequences. In the event that your normal treatments aren’t working, contact an emergency medical service right away.
It’s important to know the proper treatments for asthma in the elderly. If you care for an elderly patient, you need to know which treatment options work and which ones don’t.
Treatment for Asthma in the Elderly
Treating asthma in the elderly can prove challenging for both physicians and CDPAP caregivers. Explore the following treatment options to gain further insight into asthma in the elderly and the challenges it presents.
Take Prescribed Medication
While asthma medications show promise in younger patients, they can be far less effective in the elderly. What’s more, medications that consist of corticosteroids and beta-2 agonists can be harmful to elderly patients.
As such, CDPAP caregivers should consult with a physician about combining medications to help prevent cardiotoxicity side effects. In addition, elderly patients may be best suited to a stepped medication program.
Here, the CDPAP caregiver will need to actively monitor the patient for adverse reactions in medications. If there aren’t any, the patient can enjoy an improved quality of life and fewer asthma symptoms.
But it’s important to note that one shouldn’t rely solely on medications to treat asthma. It is essential for patients to avoid anything that could trigger the symptoms of asthma. Such triggers are wide-ranging, and they often depend on the patient and their medical history.
Avoid Triggers
CDPAP caregivers must make sure that their patient doesn’t interact with anything that could prompt an asthma attack or other asthma-related symptoms. For example, if the patient is known to be allergic to pollen, it’s best to avoid outdoor activities during high pollen count (50+).
Or if the patient is known to have adverse reactions to animals, it would be wise to avoid pets that shed or produce a lot of dander. By taking steps to limit potential triggers, CDPAP caregivers can ensure the safety and protection of their patients.
CDPAP caregivers have a lot of responsibilities when caring for the elderly. Not only do they have to keep a watchful eye over the environment and surroundings, but also their medications and dosages, such as inhalers.
Inhaled Corticosteroids
Inhalers that contain corticosteroids show promising effects among younger patients. Older adults, however, tend to respond less favorably to inhaled corticosteroids. This is because their airways are often altered over the years.
Moreover, systemic inflammation in the lungs makes it difficult for corticosteroid treatments to work. Another concern with elderly patients using inhalers is that too many of them can cause confusion and improper use.
This is why it’s so important for a CDPAP caregiver to be present, as they can help manage and administer proper usage and dosage. And in doing so, they can ensure that the patient’s medication provides optimal results, which is essential in treating asthma in the elderly.
But before such measures can be taken, the patient must first be seen by a physician who can verify and diagnose asthma. Medical providers will perform a variety of tests to identify asthma in their patients.
Diagnosing Asthma
There are many ways to diagnose asthma, but it’s often easier to identify asthma in kids by looking for specific symptoms.
It’s important not only to know the symptoms of asthma but also what triggers them to ensure proper management. The most common way is a physical exam and a lung function test.
Another way that elderly people with asthma are diagnosed is through their medical history and family history. So if they have family members with asthma, they should get tested.
Diagnosing asthma usually consists of a physical examination and a medical history review. However, it’s important for medical providers to perform additional testing, including:
● Electrocardiogram
● Chest X-ray
● Spirometry
Please note that elderly patients should also be tested for COPD to determine whether their symptoms are related to asthma or COPD. A test can be administered to check for the lungs’ diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide, which then helps determine the root cause of the patient’s breathing difficulties.
In addition, a computed tomography of the chest looks at the patient’s lungs to see if wall thickness has increased and whether air is getting trapped. The physician can then make a more informed diagnosis.
In Closing
Elderly patients with asthma are at greater risk of suffering from asthma symptoms due to a lack of efficacy in medications and treatments. Therefore, it is important to closely monitor asthma treatments at home.
This is where a CDPAP caregiver is essential. Many elderly adults find it difficult to manage medications for asthma or otherwise. With a CDPAP caregiver present, they can ensure that the right medication is taken on schedule while looking for signs of ineffectiveness.
When CDPAP caregivers are well-informed and educated in the effects of asthma in the elderly and know what to look for, they can help prevent serious side effects or fatal consequences.