Allergy and Asthma

Overview

What is Allergy and Asthma?

An allergy is when your body’s immune system overreacts to a substance that usually does not affect other people. Symptoms can include coughing and itching, and can be more severe such as hives and trouble breathing.

It is common for patients with allergies to also have atopic dermatitis (eczema) and/or asthma. This is known as the atopic triad. It is common for infants with eczema to have asthma and allergies as children, and even into adulthood. In a patient with allergies and asthma, allergies can worsen asthmatic symptoms.

Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs where inflammation narrows the airways causing chest tightness, coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. An asthma attack is a sudden worsening of these symptoms, which makes it difficult to breath. Asthma attacks can be caused by allergens, exercise, tobacco smoke, or illness. Asthma can usually be controlled by avoiding triggers that can cause an attack and by taking your medication as prescribed.¹

There are many different medications to manage allergies and asthma. Medications can be pills, inhaled, or injections and IV infusions for severe allergies and asthma.

How common is Allergy and Asthma?

• About 24 million people in the United States have asthmas, including 6 million children (National Institute of Health).²
• 1 in 11 children in the United States have asthma (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).³
• More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies every year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).⁴

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Questions regarding your Allergy and Asthma therapy?

You can reach the Accredo Allergy and Asthma care team, anytime, day or night, seven days a week by phone or online.

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1 National Asthma Education and Prevention Program, Third Expert Panel on the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma. “Section 2, Definition, Pathophysiology and Pathogenesis of Asthma, and Natural History of Asthma.” Expert Panel Report 3: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma., U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2007, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK7223/#A59. Accessed 23 February 2018.
“Asthma | Asthma Symptoms | Asthma Attack | MedlinePlus.” MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You, medlineplus.gov/asthma.html. Accessed 23 February 2018.

2 “Asthma.” National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 13 Feb. 2018, www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/asthma. Accessed 23 February 2018.

3 “Asthma.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 Aug. 2012, www.cdc.gov/asthma/triggers.html. Accessed 23 February 2018.

4 “Gateway to Health Communication & Social Marketing Practice.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 Sept. 2017, www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/toolstemplates/entertainmented/tips/Allergies.html. Accessed 23 February 2018.