Changes in genetics may be passed down for generations.
An estimated 4.2 million children in the US suffer from asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Asthma can cause people to have difficulties breathing and go so far as to interfere with daily activities. It can even bring about life-threatening situations. Asthma is no joke and needs to be treated accurately in order for patients to stay safe and healthy.
Known asthma triggers can include being around irritants like fumes, dust, or gasses, being exposed to dry, cold air, or even being around too much pet dander and pollen.
What might not come to mind when considering the causes of asthma is the experience of your parents. But it may be valid to look back in history for a cause. New research is showing whether or not a father was exposed to tobacco smoke in his childhood can affect the occurrence of asthma in his children.
Second-hand smoke changing generations to come
A study done in Australia found that men who were exposed to second-hand smoke were more likely to produce children who developed asthma. The idea is that smoking can damage not only your own health but that of your children and grandchildren.
The research was based on data obtained from the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study (TAHS). This study began all the way back in 1968 and is one of the world’s most comprehensive ongoing respiratory study’s.
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It was found that children of fathers who were exposed to second-hand smoke during their own childhood had a 59% greater chance of developing non-allergic asthma. This was compared with those whose fathers weren’t exposed to this smoke.
How is this happening? Researchers in charge of the study said they aren’t sure how or why these changes occur but they think the transformation may have something to do with epigenetic changes. These are changes that happen at a genetic level. Tobacco smoke is thought to be interfering with the ways in which our genes express themselves. Some of the changes may be inherited permanently while others may be partially reversible, the authors stated.
Long term treatment for asthma targets stem cells
Asthma is often treated with steroids that provide momentary relief. Not everyone responds to this type of treatment, however. When a person has an asthma attack, stem cells known as pericytes move to the airway walls. By rapidly developing into muscle cells, the pericytes make the airways of an asthma sufferer thicker, obstructing their breathing.
Researchers are now looking at solutions that prevent this movement from happening, stopping an asthma attack in its tracks. So far, the treatment has worked well in mice, presenting positive findings.
If you suffer from asthma, talk with your doctor about the best ways to control your condition over the long term. Doing what is within your control can help you remain stable when factors outside your influence surface, protecting your health.
For more on asthma and its symptoms, click here.
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