Summer 2002 and wellness news for members with asthma AsthmaHealth Welcome to Healthy Horizons Welcome to the latest issue of Healthy Horizons, a newsletter designed by our Disease Management department especially for you and other family members with asthma. We know that living with asthma can be challenging which is why this newsletter contains informational tips and lifestyle advice that can help you to control and treat asthma. In this issue, you ll learn about important issues, such as allergy triggers, secondhand smoke and coping with stress and depression. We hope you enjoy this newsletter; however, if you do not wish to be enrolled in our program, please call us to be removed from our mailing list at one of these numbers: Central New York/Utica- Watertown: (315) 798-4360 or 1-800-926-2357, Ext. 360 Rochester: (585) 238-4631 or 1-877-586-1990 Asthma medications Rescuers and controllers While there is no cure for asthma, using the right treatment medication can help you lead a normal life. It is very important to know what medications your health care practitioner has prescribed, when to take them and how to take them correctly. There are two types of asthma medications: quick-relief, or rescuers ; and long-term control, or controllers. Both of these medications work differently; therefore, many people with asthma need to take both. Rescuers. During an asthma attack, rescuer medications help to relax the muscles around the airway, allowing the airway to open and Continued on page 7
Avoiding pollens and molds Take it inside The best way to avoid pollens and outdoor molds is to stay inside preferably in an air-conditioned place. Especially try to stay indoors during midday and afternoons when pollen counts are highest. Also remember that pollen counts are particularly high on windy days or days after high winds that have spread the pollen throughout the air. Conversely, pollen counts tend to drop after a heavy rain. 2Asthma Pollen... Did you know? Pollen spores are small, round-shaped cells from flowering trees, grasses and weeds. The average pollen particle is less than the width of a human hair. Brightly colored, perfumed flowers, such as roses, are less likely to cause allergic reactions because their pollen is too large, heavy and sticky to travel in the air. Spacers: An important asthma-control tool People with asthma can use a spacer with some of their inhalers. The spacer is essentially a holding chamber where medicine can stay for up to five seconds to give a person more time to inhale his or her medication. Benefits of using a spacer Allows the user to more easily inhale medicine. Helps more medicine get to the lungs. Is easy to hold in position. Lessens the taste of the medicine. Pollen spores can remain on your skin and hair for hours after you spend time outdoors. New Asthma Center available on our Web site We re excited to announce that we ve added an Asthma Center link to our Web site that you can use to access online asthma education resources, programs and events in your community that can help you or your family members better manage asthma. You can also find tips for using peak-flow meters, inhalers and an asthma action plan, as well as read about topics such as asthma and the flu, or how to decide when your child with asthma should go to school. You can even find online versions of previous Healthy Horizons newsletters! To check it out, click with us at: www.bcbscny.org/asthma (Syracuse and Watertown) www.bcbsra.com/asthma (Rochester) www.bcbsuw.com/asthma (Utica)
Know your asthma triggers Avoiding allergy triggers is a critical part of asthma control. Ask yourself: Is your asthma worse during springtime? Do you also have sneezing, itching and a runny and/or clogged nose? Possible trigger: pollens and outdoor molds. Do your eyes itch and get red after handling a pet? If a pet licks you, do you get a red, itchy welt? Possible trigger: animal dander and saliva. Do symptoms get worse around hay or in a barn or stable? Possible trigger: molds and dust mites. Does making the bed cause symptoms? Possible trigger: dust mites. Are your symptoms worse when you are in a bed or your bedroom? Possible trigger: dust mites. Do symptoms get worse when you go into a damp basement or vacation home that has been closed for awhile? Possible trigger: molds. Once you ve determined your triggers, the next obvious step is to avoid them as much as possible. Bedroom cleaning tips Taking these recommended steps will go a long way toward reducing the environmental triggers that make asthma harder to control. Remove all carpets, if possible. Hardwood, tile or linoleum floors are better. Washable throw rugs are OK. If it is not possible to remove the carpet, it should be vacuumed thoroughly at least once a week. Because vacuum cleaners can kick up lots of fine dust, a person with asthma should wear a dust mask when cleaning, or better yet, have someone else do the cleaning while you stay out of the room for at least 30 minutes after it has been vacuumed. Note that there are allergy-preventive vacuums with special filters. Use only washable materials on the bed. Wash sheets, blankets and the mattress pad at least once a week in hot water. Encase the mattress, box spring and pillows in airtight, dust-proof covers. Keep furniture to a minimum. Avoid upholstered furniture and venetian blinds. Plain, lightweight curtains can be hung. Wash them weekly. Clean the room regularly. Do a thorough cleaning once a week, using a damp cloth or oil mop on floors, furniture, tops of doors, window frames and sills. Keep the bedroom doors and windows closed as much as possible. Avoid dust collectors. Limit the number of toys and other objects in the room that will collect dust, such as stuffed animals. 3
Asthma Depression More than a case of the blues 4 Depression is a medical condition affecting more than 19 million Americans and can impact the way we act, think and feel. If you experience five or more of the following symptoms for more than two weeks, you may have depression: Do you: Persistently feel sad, anxious or empty inside? Sleep too much or too little? Have a sudden weight gain or loss, or change in eating patterns? Lose interest or pleasure in activities that you once enjoyed? Feel restless or irritable? Have difficulty concentrating, remembering things or making decisions? Feel tired or have low energy? Feel guilty, hopeless or worthless? Have persistent physical symptoms, such as headaches, chronic pain or digestive disorders, that do not respond to treatment? Have thoughts of hurting yourself or others? (If you do, contact your health care practitioner immediately.) Most everyone has a case of the blues now and then, but depression is more serious. Depression is a medical condition affecting more than 19 million Americans and can impact the way we act, think and feel. It can even affect our ability to meet responsibilities at work or maintain close relationships. It s important to note that people living with a disease, such as asthma, can have a higher incidence of depression. The good news is that depression can be treated. These treatments can include self-care treatments, such as exercise, relaxation, talking to friends, dancing, or laughing at a funny book or movie. If these do not work, you should call your health care practitioner to discuss other treatments for depression, such as counseling or medication. Source: The National Mental Health Association
Commit to quit According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 16 million people try to stop smoking every year. Most smokers quit five to seven times before being completely successful. To help give you the best chance to quit, here are a few tips to keep in mind: Stay positive. Each morning, promise yourself that you won t smoke a cigarette all day. Remind yourself that you can do it! Tip For more information on smoking cessation, please call the New York State Quitline toll free at 1-888-609-6292, or visit their Web site at www.nyssmokefree.com. You can also call our Health Promotions Program at 1-800-644-3404. Picture success. Plan ahead and think of creative ways to deal with daily stresses without lighting up. You can be successful! Take a breather. If you are tempted to smoke, take a deep breath, hold it a second, and then exhale slowly. Urges to smoke are temporary you can work through them! Work out. Exercise may help you relieve tension and take away the urge to smoke. Besides, it may help you feel good about yourself. Most importantly, stay positive and focused. If you slip, don t be discouraged... just start again! Source: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book Secondhand smoke dangerous to kids Did you know that more than 50,000 people who have never smoked die each year in the United States from tobaccorelated diseases, according to the American Lung Association? Of that total, nearly 6,200 children die annually from the effects of secondhand smoke. Secondhand tobacco smoke is a proven health risk for adults, but can be even more harmful to young children because their lungs are still not fully developed. In children younger than 18, secondhand smoke exposure also results in more coughing and wheezing; a small, but significant, decrease in lung function; and an increase in fluid in the middle ear that may result in ear infections. Obviously, this danger is further magnified if the child has asthma. This is emphasized by the fact that up to 1 million children with asthma have their condition worsened when exposed to secondhand smoke. 5
6Asthma Breathe easier with a peak-flow meter Your personal best peak flow is the highest peak-flow number you can achieve over a two-week period when your asthma is under good control (or green light conditions on your asthma action plan). Tip If you d like a free peak-flow meter, asthma action plan and asthma literature, please call us (toll free) 1-800-860-2619. People with asthma sometimes have a hard time knowing when their symptoms are getting worse. One simple tool that can help check the airflow through your lungs before any asthma symptoms occur is a peak-flow meter. What s a peak-flow meter? A peak-flow meter is a handheld object that can help you notice changes in how effectively your lungs are working by measuring how forcefully you can blow out air after fully filling your lungs. How to use a peak-flow meter 1 2 3 4 5 Set the sliding marker to 0. Stand up and take a deep breath. Place the mouthpiece in your mouth and close your lips tightly around it. Blow out as hard and fast as you can. Check the number on the scale. Repeat these steps two more time for a total of three readings. Write down the highest of the three readings. Source: National Asthma Education Program A peak-flow meter measures how forcefully you can blow air out of your lungs. This can give an early warning of asthma problems or help you know when to adjust medications.
Asthma medications Continued from page 1 make it easier to breathe right away. They don t, however, treat the inflammation, swelling or mucus in the airway, so symptoms may return a few hours later when these medicines wear off. Most rescuers come as an inhaler; however, some come in tablet, capsule, liquid or injectable forms. Rescuers are used on an intermittent basis. Check with your health care practitioner to see which rescuer medication is right for you. Controllers. These longterm medications come in the form of an inhaler or pills, and are used to treat persistent airway inflammation, so there is less swelling, less mucus and less muscle tightening in the airway. They treat the main problem in asthma inflammation and help keep the airway open. Controller medications, when prescribed, should be taken daily. They do not work for quick relief of asthma symptoms. Both controllers and rescuers are important tools to help manage asthma symptoms. Your health care practitioner will prescribe the asthma medications that are best for you and your specific symptoms. Your asthma action plan An ounce of prevention Treating your asthma can be easy if you follow your asthma action plan. Together, you and your health care practitioner can develop a written asthma action plan. An asthma action plan is a pre-developed plan of care before you have an asthma attack. Remember that it s important to: Complete an asthma action plan together with your health care practitioner before you have a severe attack. If your child has asthma, review the asthma action plan with his or her teachers, baby sitters or coaches. Also give them a copy of the written asthma action plan. Review your written asthma action plan every three to six months with your health care practitioner. Include emergency phone numbers. Make a list of any asthma triggers you need to avoid. 2 The rules of two Do you take your quick-relief inhaler more than TWO times per week? Do you wake up at night with asthma more than TWO times per month? Do you refill your quick-relief inhaler more than TWO times per year? If you can answer yes to any one of these questions, your asthma may not be well controlled. Please check with your health care practitioner. 7
Healthy Horizons is published as an informational service for our members. The information contained in this newsletter is not intended to provide medical advice to take the place of medical care. Any questions you have should be brought to the attention of your health care practitioner. We welcome your comments and suggestions by writing to the editor at: Excellus, Inc. c/o Communications Department P.O. Box 4809 Syracuse, NY 13221 HLN13061 Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID Tacoma, WA Permit No. 1066 When deciding ways to better serve our members, something clicked: Offer easier access to customer services on your time, online. Now there are many new ways to click with us. View your policy Change your doctor or address, or request a new ID card Research health topics with our online library Print claim and enrollment forms Contact Customer Service Click with us at: www.bcbsra.com www.bcbscny.org www.bcbsuw.com We re just a click away! A-B