NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Hot weather and pollution will pose a challenge to the Olympic athletes competing in Beijing this month, especially the substantial proportion of them who suffer from exercise-induced asthma.
In this condition, also called exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, a person's airways tighten up in response to physical exertion. People who have the condition may or may not have asthma as well. About 1 in 5 top athletes are believed to have exercise-induced asthma, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), as do 1 in 6 of all Olympic athletes.
Any physical activity that requires rapid breathing can trigger the condition in susceptible people, for example basketball, long-distance running, and cycling, Dr. Thomas Casale, an AAAAI spokesman and chief of allergy and immunology at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, told Reuters Health.
When a person breathes quickly, Casale explained, he or she is more likely to breathe through the mouth. Because the mouth doesn't humidify and warm the air the way that the nose does, this can lead to dehydration of the airways, which causes them to close off. Competing in certain environments can also boost risk; for example, exposure to chloramines from chlorinated pools can bring on an attack.
China has taken steps to clean up the air around Beijing, Casale noted, for example shutting down factories nearby and restricting traffic, but air quality will still be a major concern for athletes.
People who are prone to exercise-induced asthma can take a number of steps to protect themselves so they can work out comfortably, he added.
One approach includes using a short-acting inhaler such as albuterol 15 to 20 minutes before exercising to prevent airway shutdown, he said; other medications may also be helpful.
People should also avoid exercising during peak pollen times, be sure to warm up and cool down before and after exercise, and use a mask when exercising outdoors in cold weather, which can help heat and humidify the air.
SOURCE: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).
