Below:
• Why does depression trigger attacks of asthma?
• Can treating depression help fight asthma?
• Additional Information
Note: This article has been localised for an Irish audience. When a person has asthma, a bout of depression or anxiety can trigger attacks and make the disease much harder to manage, according to recent research. Studies have found that asthmatic children suffering from psychological distress need higher doses of medication and spend more time in the hospital than other children with asthma. Almost invariably, their attacks go hand in hand with stressful events or emotional distress. But is there a more fundamental link between asthma and emotional turmoil? In 1999 researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta published a study that, for the first time, provided strong evidence that depression and anxiety can actually help cause the respiratory disease. Investigators gave psychological tests to more than 5,000 asthma-free people aged 25 to 74 and then checked their health records 13 years later. After adjusting for age, sex, race, and other factors, the researchers found that severe depression and anxiety more than doubled a non-smoker's risk of developing asthma. In addition, a study presented at a 1997 conference of the American Lung Association and the American Thoracic Society showed that children confronting real-life threats, such as the street violence common in inner-city America, were twice as likely to display symptoms of asthma as other children. Why does depression trigger attacks of asthma? Nobody knows exactly why asthma seems to thrive on psychological distress. Both anxiety and depression disturb the body's normal balance of hormones and brain chemicals, and this disruption might somehow set the stage for the disease. Once a person has asthma, feelings of sadness or distress can cause subtle physiological changes that may help fuel attacks. Researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo tested this theory by showing the movie E.T.: The Extraterrestrial to a group of children with asthma. During the sad parts the children's heart rates and blood oxygen levels became erratic -- reactions that could set the stage for an asthma attack. Depression can also contribute to the likelihood of asthma attacks by hampering the immune system. People suffering from emotional distress often have trouble fending off the viruses that cause bronchitis and other respiratory infections. Once such an infection takes hold, it can inflame the airways and trigger a severe attack. Finally, depression may take a toll by sapping people's ability to care for themselves. Asthma patients who feel helpless might not see the point of monitoring their breathing and taking medication. Conversely, if these patients (or their parents) are overly anxious, the result may be too many medications and unnecessary trips to the emergency room. Can treating depression help fight asthma? Although the possibility hasn't been fully studied, some experts are certain that treatment for depression can improve an asthma patient's breathing as well as his or her outlook. Additional Information Click here for further information on asthma or contact The Asthma Society of Ireland on 01-8788511 Email: admin@asthmasociety.ie Website: www.asthmasociety.ie This article has been revised by Vhihealthe for its audience and may contain, among other things, information or medical practices that are unique to Ireland. Neither Consumer Health Interactive nor the original author make any warranty as to the accuracy of the article as revised, and assume no responsibility for modified content.
First published September 7, 2001
Copyright © 2001 Consumer Health Interactive
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