Asthma in the Elderly

There are a number of possible reasons for the high death rate in elderly asthmatics:

1. As we age our body loses its flexibility and elasticity. The airways unfortunately are no exception
2. Taking large quantities of bronchodilators over the years has made your airways have less tone and to close on less provocation
3. 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
4. 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
5. Not taking good care of your health means more illness and more illness means more asthma
6. The chronic pain of conditions like arthritis puts a great stress on the body, increasing the likelihood of asthma attacks
7. 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 asthma

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.

Well managed asthma means less attacks. When did you last have your medication evaluated? Over the past ten years there have been enormous changes in asthma treatments and perhaps yours needs reviewing. Especially, if you are using your reliever puffer more than three times a week.

If you are an asthmatic of some years, then you probably know all there is to know about your triggers which can be an advantage in asthma control. Keep known triggers to a minimum. If dust is a major factor and cleaning has become a problem then look to your family, church or welfare programmes for assistance.

Do some gentle exercise every day - walk around the rooms of your home, if you can't get out lift light weights. You can make your own out of old socks filled with sand or plastic bottles of water.

Eat small regular meals. Large meals are a common asthma trigger. Don eat lots of dairy products or other foods which make you breathless, particularly if you are not having a good day.

Drink LOTS of water. Asthma can make you dehydrated and you need to drink lots of water to keep the mucus shifting easily.

Don't have unnecessary surgery because anaesthetics can be dangerous even for the young and healthy. Should an operation be necessary then let your doctors know that you are an asthmatic and if you have taken steroids within the last two - three years.