You Must Take This Medicine If You Have a Respiratory System Disease!
Getting to Know the Respiratory System (Breathing) That We Have
Respiration is a series of processes that involve drawing air into the respiratory system and expelling it again with the purpose of exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide. Anatomically, the respiratory system is divided into the upper and lower respiratory systems. The upper respiratory system consists of the nose, nasal cavity, and pharynx, while the lower respiratory system includes the bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli. The primary function of the respiratory system is to supply oxygen, which is carried by the blood to all organs in the body, as oxygen is essential for cellular metabolism.
Several types of disorders or diseases affecting the respiratory system include the common cold, cough, asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, COPD, cystic fibrosis, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
Common Cold
The common cold is an infectious disease caused by a virus that affects the upper respiratory tract, with common symptoms including nasal congestion and runny nose, sore throat, cough, mild headache, sneezing, watery eyes, slight fever, and mild fatigue. Drug classes that can be used to relieve common cold symptoms include antihistamines, decongestants, antitussives, and expectorants. Antihistamines work by competing with histamine to occupy histamine receptors.
Cough
Another respiratory system condition, cough, occurs when a person suddenly expels air from the thoracic cavity through the epiglottis and mouth. Coughing is a response to foreign objects or excessive mucus in the respiratory tract. Coughs can be categorized into productive and dry coughs. A productive cough involves the presence of mucus, while a dry cough does not produce mucus or secretions. Drug classes that help relieve dry coughs include antitussives, which work by suppressing the cough reflex directly in the medulla. For productive coughs, expectorants help reduce mucus to relieve coughing. An example of an antitussive medication is dextromethorphan, while guaifenesin is an example of an expectorant.
Asthma
Another common respiratory disease is asthma, a condition that causes airway narrowing, making it difficult for air to reach the lungs, which reduces lung capacity and makes breathing difficult (Kustiono and Mukarromah, 2019). Drugs used to treat asthma include bronchodilators. One type of bronchodilator is beta-adrenergic agonists, which help reduce airway obstruction and restore normal airflow. An example of a beta-adrenergic agonist is salbutamol. Another type of bronchodilator is xanthine derivatives, which induce bronchodilation by relaxing the smooth muscles in the airways, thus increasing airflow. An example of a xanthine derivative is aminophylline.
Other articles are ready to provide new inspiration and knowledge for you!
Author: Devira
References:
Maula, E. R., & Rusdiana, T. (2016). Terapi Herbal dan Alternatif pada Flu Ringan atau ISPA non-spesifik. Farmasetika Com (Online), 1(2), 7. https://doi.org/10.24198/farmasetika.v1i2.9709
Kustiono, A. D., & Mukarromah, S. B. (2019). Pengaruh Senam Asma terhadap Frekuensi Kekambuhan dan Kapasitas Vital Paru pada Penderita Asma di Balai Kesehatan Paru Masyarakat Semarang. Journal of Sport Sciences and Fitness, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.15294/jssf.v5i2.40065
