Exercise and asthma: overview and clinical impact.
The question of the relationship between exercise and asthma dates back to the second century A.D. and was not resolved until R.S. Jones and co-authors in 1962 reported that there were in reality two effects on the asthmatic patient from exercise depending on the duration of the exercise. Short-term exercise of less than four minutes resulted in bronchodilatation, whereas longer-term exercise resulted in bronchoconstriction. Exercise-induced bronchospasm occurs in all ages but is more common in children, developing in 85% of boys and 65% of girls with severe asthma. Pulmonary function tests are valuable in identifying these patients as well as their response to various drugs. With this information specific recommendations may be made for the prevention and control of exercise-induced bronchospasm, thus allowing asthmatic children to cope with their peers in exercise programs and competitive sports.
D001249:Asthma / Q000235:genetics; D001986:Bronchial Spasm / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D005082:Physical Exertion; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D014939:Work of Breathing