A 73-year-old woman, Ms. Han, has mild symptoms of heart failure and is undergoing treatment for hyperlipidemia.

 

I cannot engage in vigorous exercise and only walk, but recently I have experienced shortness of breath even with a little walking. I thought it was due to my heart and just ignored it. A chest CT scan done during a health check-up also showed normal results. Then, one night, I experienced a severe coughing fit and went to the emergency room, where I was ultimately diagnosed with asthma. Asthma can develop with age, but because physical activity is limited and symptoms are mild, it is often overlooked and diagnosed late, sometimes being hidden by other illnesses.

 

◇Significant increase in elderly asthma

 

Asthma is a chronic allergic inflammation of the respiratory bronchial tubes, causing airway swelling, coughing, wheezing during breathing, and in severe cases, shortness of breath. In the past, pediatric asthma related to house dust mites, dogs, or cats was common, but recently, there has been a significant increase in elderly asthma due to sequelae of respiratory viral infections. The age distribution of asthma onset is changing.

Elderly asthma began to increase in the late 2000s when the aging population ratio exceeded 10%, and now, in conjunction with fine dust air pollution and increased respiratory infections, it is estimated that one in eight seniors aged 65 and older (12.7%) has asthma.

 

According to an analysis by the Korean Asthma and Allergy Society, the rate of increase in asthma patients aged 50 to 80 and above has reached 45% since the COVID-19 infection outbreak. The majority of these patients are in their 70s and 80s. The number of asthma patients was around 1.4 million before the COVID-19 pandemic, dropped to about 690,000 at the peak of the pandemic in 2021, and then rebounded, reaching an estimated 1.42 million last year.

Kim Sang-heon (Professor at Hanyang University College of Medicine), Secretary General of the Asthma and Allergy Society, stated, "It is presumed that respiratory virus infections disrupt the immune system of the respiratory mucosa that comes into contact with external air and substances, thereby inducing the occurrence of asthma," and added, "Elderly individuals are vulnerable to respiratory infections, leading to a significant increase in non-allergic asthma as a long-term sequela of COVID-19 infection." COVID-19 has left scars on the respiratory bronchi. Most elderly asthma cases are late-onset, developing within ten years.

 

 

◇Elderly asthma, diagnosed late

 

Elderly people tend to accept shortness of breath as a natural phenomenon that occurs with aging or as a change in physical function due to aging. Similar symptoms can also appear in other conditions such as heart disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or even in long-term smokers, which can sometimes mask asthma.

 

Jang An-su (Professor at Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine), Chairman of the Respiratory Allergology Society, said, "To diagnose asthma, pulmonary function tests are essential, but since these tests are usually not performed at local clinics, many patients are not diagnosed until their symptoms worsen and they visit a hospital," he explained. "Once lung function is damaged, it is difficult to recover, but recently, effective inhaled steroids and biological agents are being used in various ways. If asthma treatment is administered at the appropriate time, lung function can be preserved, allowing patients to lead normal lives."

 

If you develop cough or shortness of breath as you age, do not simply think it's a cold; you should suspect asthma. Especially if you experience more severe coughing at night, feel chest tightness when exposed to cold air, have cold symptoms lasting more than a month, or notice that your breathing sounds are rougher and wheezing more than others, it is advisable to suspect asthma and visit a general hospital's allergy or respiratory department.

 

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My father has a bit of a cough.

Is it Yunggaksan?

It is said to be good for the throat, like the taste of mint.

They also take it.

 

Cough -> I should also suspect asthma.