Poor Mental Health May Boost Asthma Risk

Related Encyclopedia • Asthma • Asthma in Children • Asthma Treatment • Atelectasis More... Related Healthscout Videos Helium Helps Asthmatics Breathe Pinpointing Mental Illness Body Dysmorphic Disorder- A Serious Disease Detecting Lung Disease More... Related Animations • Asthma • Bipolar Disorder Animation • Depression • Menopause More... Related Drug Information • Adderal XR • Advair Diskus • Ambien • Avandia More... Related News Articles • Binge Drinking Not Just a Rite of the Young • Cord Blood Stem Cells May Help Treat Heart, Lung Disorders • Working Intensely Early on May Help Autistic Kids • U.S. Swine Flu Cases Chart Sharp Decline More...

Page:  << Prev | 1 | 2

"In general, the results of this study are not really novel," Lavoie said. "We already know that there is a strong association between high levels of psychological distress and psychiatric disorders such as mood disorders, such as major depression and anxiety disorders and panic disorder, and both a higher prevalence of asthma and worse asthma outcomes," she said.

The real question is why, Lavoie said. "Is it because people who are more stressed out take worse care of themselves? For example, people who are depressed and/or anxious tend to smoke more, eat more, exercise less, and tend not to take their medications as prescribed," she said.

"Perhaps it is because stress is associated with a number of important physiological changes, such as autonomous nervous system changes, which may cause increased chest tightness in patients with asthma, or immune system changes, which may cause increased inflammation in the airways of asthmatics," Lavoie said.

Text Continues Below

---

More information

For more on asthma, visit the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Page:  << Prev | 1 | 2