Asthma and pneumonia can be caused by the same bacteria

At first glance, the symptoms of an asthma attack and pneumonia can look similar, so that maybe many people are confused about the difference between the two. Many also wonder whether asthma can cause pneumonia, or whether pneumonia can cause asthma? Or is it true that asthma and pneumonia are related? This article will answer your confusion regarding asthma and pneumonia.

Can asthma cause pneumonia?

Pneumonia is an infection that triggers inflammation of the air sacs (alveoli) in one or both lungs. In people with pneumonia, a collection of tiny air pockets at the end of the respiratory tract in the lungs will swell and fill with fluid. Hence, people also refer to this condition as wet lungs.

Meanwhile, asthma is a type of chronic (chronic) respiratory disease characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways (bronchi) that make shortness of breath. Other symptoms that people with asthma also experience are chest pain, coughing and wheezing. Asthma can be suffered by all ages, young or old.

The relationship between asthma and pneumonia is still being debated. But the FDA, the equivalent of the BPOM, warns there are side effects of some drugs used to treat asthma.

In one study, it was found that pneumonia occurred twice as often in asthmatic patients after taking combination treatment, namely steroid drugs and LABA (long-acting bronchodilator / long-acting beta2-agonist) inhalers. The study compared asthma patients using only the LABA inhaler alone. However, the results of this study still need to be explored further.

The study findings do not mean that you should stop taking your asthma medication. It is important that you know that the risk of new pneumonia increases significantly in asthma patients aged 65 years and over.

Can pneumonia trigger asthma?

Basically, people who have asthma have weaker lung tissue. The worsening of the lungs due to asthma makes the body more susceptible to pneumonia.

In addition, according to the American Lung Association, people with asthma have a higher risk and chance of developing pneumonia after catching the flu. Plus, people with asthma aged 65 years and over have a 5.9 times greater chance of developing pneumonia.

This is because the immune system weakens with age, making it more difficult for the body to fight bacterial and viral infections. This condition also makes the body more prone to serious complications.

Some studies also suggest that bacterial infections cause pneumonia (M ycoplasma pneumoniae) can trigger an exacerbation of asthma attacks.

One of the studies that discusses this phenomenon is in the journal Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Research in 2012. In the study, infection was suspected M. pneumoniae more easily occurs in people with asthma due to factors that decrease the immune system and changes in the structure of the lungs.

Recurrent asthma (exacerbation) is a symptom in asthma that is categorized as the most acute of all the other symptoms. At this level, the symptoms of asthma must be really watched out for and must immediately find out how to handle it.

This is because the worst impact that will be caused is not only loss of self-awareness or fainting, but complications of asthma that can be life threatening.

Then, what about the treatment of asthma and pneumonia? Can you compare it?

If the cause of the attack is bacteria mycoplasma pneumoniae , should the treatment be given antibiotics? To date there are no recommendations for prescribing antibiotics for asthma patients. However, for the treatment of pneumonia caused by bacteria, antibiotics are still needed.

A study was conducted in 2006, this study compared the treatment of asthma patients with antibiotics and placebo (empty drug). Asthma patients who receive antibiotics have improved asthma symptoms, but not lung function. To date, there are no studies or treatments that recommend the use of antibiotics for chronic asthma and asthma exacerbations.