by

Joseph

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that asthma levels are on the rise in the United States. The agency reports that 25 million people were diagnosed with the disease in 2009, compared with 20 million people in 2001. Put another way, the number of people diagnosed with asthma increased by 4.3 million during that eight year period. To give you a better perspective on how serious this problem really is, in 2007 nearly 3500 deaths were attributed to the disease and in 2008, 53% of asthmatics suffered attacks.  

Steps You Can Take To Prevent Asthma Attack

Asthma is a potentially fatal disease but there are many precautions that you can take to prevent an asthma attack including:

• regularly taking your doctor prescribed asthma medications
• avoiding dust, pollen, mold and other asthma triggers
• weekly cleaning of home, clothing and bed linens to destroy dust mites
• avoiding tobacco smoke
•  keeping an asthma journal to record attacks and triggers
• avoid inspiration of cold, dry air through the mouth - instead inhale and exhale through the nose
• avoiding emotional upset, as anxiety can induce asthma attacks
•  avoiding use of or exposure to chemical irritants
• maintaining your asthma treatment

Health experts from the CDC suggest that health care professionals work with patients to develop an asthma action plan; statistics show that the majority of asthmatics have not been taught how to avoid asthma triggers. Thus health care professionals should do more to help patients understand the seriousness of the disease by teaching them proper use of asthma medications. Moreover, patients should educate themselves about the disease to better manage their condition. This means talking with your doctor about asthma, and listening to his/her advice about avoiding asthma triggers.

Asthma is an entirely manageable disease, it's up to you to take charge of your own health. You can learn more about asthma action plans by visiting <http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/actionplan.html>.

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Article Source

CDC - Vital Signs http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns

"CDC: Asthma Cases Increasing Year By Year - Steps You Can Take To Prevent Asthma Attacks" copyright 2011 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy_(SM). All Rights Reserved.

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