ASTHMA

2008-05-19T06:35:00.000-07:00

Aminophylline

What Is Aminophylline?
Aminophylline is used to treat the symptoms of asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema.
Aminophylline is a bronchodilator. Aminophylline works in several ways, it relaxes muscles in your lungs and chest to allow more air in, decreases the sensitivity of your lungs to allergens and other substances that cause inflammation, and increases the contractions of your diaphragm to draw more air into the lungs. Aminophylline has been used to stimulate the central nervous system and to treat apnea in neonates. It has also been used as a cardiac stimulant in heart failure.

Side Effects Of Aminophylline?

Flushing
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Loss of appetite
Irritability
Nervousness
Trouble sleeping
Increased urination may occur
Stomach pain
Coffee-ground vomit
Dizziness/fainting
Severe mental/mood changes
Rapid breathing
Irregular heartbeat (unusually fast or slow)
Chest pain
Muscle twitching
Seizures
Swelling of the throat
Rash
Ttrouble breathing

2008-05-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

What Other Drugs Will Affect Aminophylline ?
Aminophylline interacts with many other drugs. The following drugs may increase the levels of aminophylline in your blood, leading to dangerous side effects:

Alcohol
Cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB)
Fluoroquinolone antibiotics such as enoxacin (Penetrex), lomefloxacin (Maxaquin) ciprofloxacin (Cipro), norfloxacin (Noroxin), and ofloxacin (Floxin)
Clarithromycin (Biaxin) and erythromycin (Ery-Tab, E.E.S., E-Mycin, others)
Disulfiram (Antabuse)
Estrogens (Ogen, Premarin, and many other types)
Fluvoxamine (Luvox)
Methotrexate (Folex, Rheumatrex)
Mexiletine (Mexitil) and propafenone (Rythmol)
Propranolol (Inderal)
Tacrine (Cognex)
Ticlopidine (Ticlid)
Verapamil (Verelan, Calan, Isoptin)

The following drugs may decrease aminophylline levels in your blood, leading to poor asthma control:

Aminoglutethimide (Cytadren)
Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
Isoproterenol (Isuprel)
Moricizine (Ethmozine)
Phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton)
Phenytoin (Dilantin)
Rifampin (Rifadin)
Sucralfate (Carafate)

How Aminophylline is Supplied ?

Aminophylline is available in 100 mg and 200 mg immediate-release tablets, and as a 105 mg/5 ml oral liquid.
Injectable aminophylline is available in a 250 mg/10 ml concentration.
In addition, aminophylline is also available as 250 mg and 500 mg suppositories.

Who Should Not Take Aminophylline?

Any collection Fluid in your lungs
A thyroid condition
Liver disease
Kidney disease
A stomach ulcer
Seizures or epilepsy
High blood pressure, a heart condition, or any type of heart disease

You may not be able to take aminophylline, or you may require a lower dose or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.

If you are over 60 years of age, you may be more likely to experience side effects from aminophylline. You may require a lower dose of this medication.
Aminophylline passes into breast milk and could affect a nursing baby. Do not take aminophylline
Aminophylline is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether aminophylline will harm an unborn baby

2008-05-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

ASTHMA

What Is Asthma?
Asthma is an inflammatory disorder of the airways, which causes attacks of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. Bronchial tubes that are chronically inflamed may become overly sensitive to allergens (specific triggers) or irritants (nonspecific triggers). The airways may become "twitchy" and remain in a state of heightened sensitivity. This is called "Bronchial Hyperreactivity" (BHR). It is likely that there is a spectrum of bronchial hyperreactivity in all individuals. However, it is clear that asthmatics and allergic individuals (without apparent asthma) have a greater degree of bronchial hyperreactivity than non-asthmatic and nonallergic people. In sensitive individuals, the bronchial tubes are more likely to swell and constrict when exposed to triggers such as allergens, tobacco smoke, or exercise. Amongst asthmatics, some may have mild BHR and no symptoms while others may have severe BHR and chronic symptoms.

Taking care of your asthma is an important part of your life. Controlling it means working closely with your doctor to learn what to do, staying away from things that bother your airways, taking medicines as directed by your doctor, and monitoring your asthma so that you can respond quickly to signs of an attack. By controlling your asthma every day, you can prevent serious symptoms and take part in all activities.
If your asthma is not well controlled, you are likely to have symptoms that can make you miss school or work and keep you from doing things you enjoy. Asthma is one of the leading causes of children missing school.

2008-05-16T07:58:00.000-07:00

Signs and Symptoms of Asthma

Coughing. Coughing from asthma is often worse at night or early in the morning, making it hard to sleep.
Wheezing. Wheezing is a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe.

Usually begins suddenly
Comes in episodes
May be worse at night or in early morning
Gets worse with cold air, exercise, and heartburn (reflux)
May go away on its own
Is relieved by bronchodilators (drugs that open the airways)

Chest tightness. This can feel like something is squeezing or sitting on your chest.
Shortness of breath. Some people say they can't catch their breath, or they feel breathless or out of breath. You may feel like you can't get enough air in or out of your lungs.
Faster breathing or noisy breathing.

Emergency symptoms:

Extreme difficulty breathing
Bluish color to the lips and face
Severe anxiety due to shortness of breath
Rapid pulse
Sweating
Decreased level of alertness, such as severe drowsiness or confusion, during an asthma attack

2008-05-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

Asthma Diagnosed

Tests may include:

Lung function tests
Peak flow measurements
Chest x-ray
Arterial blood gas
Allergy testing to find out if and what allergens affect you.
A test in which you use a peak flow meter every day for 1-2 weeks to check your breathing. A peak flow meter is a hand-held device that helps you monitor how well you are breathing.
A test to see how your airways react to exercise.
Tests to see if you have gastroesophageal reflux disease.
A test to see if you have sinus disease.

Some things your doctor will ask about include:

Periods of coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, or chest tightness that come on suddenly, occur often, or seem to happen during certain times of the year or season
Your family history of asthma and allergies
Things that seem to cause your symptoms or make them worse
Colds that seem to "go to the chest" or take more than 10 days to get over
Medicines you may have used to help your breathing

2008-05-16T07:48:00.000-07:00

Treatment asthma

Most asthma medications work by relaxing bronchospasm (bronchodilators) or reducing inflammation (corticosteroids). In the treatment of asthma, inhaled medications are generally preferred over tablet or liquid medicines which are swallowed (oral medications). Inhaled medications act directly on the airway surface and airway muscles where the asthma problems initiate. Absorption of inhaled medications into the rest of the body is minimal. Therefore, adverse side effects are fewer as compared to oral medications.

Inhaled steroids (such as Azmacort, Vanceril, AeroBid, Flovent) prevent inflammation
Leukotriene inhibitors (such as Singulair and Accolate)
Anti-IgE therapy (Xolair), a medicine given by injection to patients with more severe asthma
Long-acting bronchodilators (such as Serevent) help open airways
Cromolyn sodium (Intal) or nedocromil sodium
Aminophylline or theophylline (not used as frequently as in the past)
Short-acting bronchodilators (inhalers), such as Proventil, Ventolin, Xopenex, and others.
Corticosteroids, such as prednisone or methylprednisolone given by mouth or into a vein