An elderly person may experience shortness of breath when moving, which could be due to asthma. Treatment for this condition often involves inhaled medications, and corticosteroids such as beclomethasone dipropionate and budesonide, as well as β2 agonists like salbutamol and terbutaline, can be prescribed under medical supervision.

Medications for Asthma in the Elderly

Medications for asthma in the elderly include both controller and reliever medications. Controller medications, also known as anti-inflammatory drugs, are primarily corticosteroids, which are currently the most effective drugs for controlling asthma. They can be administered through inhalation, orally, or intravenously, with commonly used drugs including beclomethasone dipropionate and budesonide. β2 agonists can effectively relax the bronchial tubes and improve symptoms such as difficulty breathing. Short-acting β2 agonists are the preferred choice for treating acute asthma attacks, with commonly used drugs including salbutamol and terbutaline.

Nursing Methods for Geriatric Asthma

Here are some nursing methods for geriatric asthma:

1. Use wet sweeping to prevent indoor dust and keep warm to avoid cold air stimulation. Keep some aerosol medications on hand for emergency use.
2. Adjust the patient's position to a comfortable sitting or semi-sitting posture, and encourage slow, deep breathing.
3. Assist the patient in coughing up mucus. Instruct the patient to sit up, lean forward, and pat their back to encourage coughing up mucus. Encourage drinking more water when the mucus is thick.
4. Provide oxygen to those with difficulty breathing, following doctor's orders for continuous nasal cannula oxygen administration, and ensuring humidified oxygen.
5. Pay attention to the living environment. Asthmatic patients generally have a high airway reactivity, and various stimuli that have no "obvious effect" on normal people can trigger asthma in the elderly. Therefore, it is important to maintain fresh and well-ventilated indoor air with no irritating odors.
6. Strengthen dietary management. The diet for elderly asthmatic patients should be light and easy to digest, avoiding overeating, overly sweet, salty, or greasy foods. Particularly for patients with asthma due to gastroesophageal reflux, it is important to avoid eating too much or too late in the evening, and generally, they should sleep three hours after eating. Asthmatic patients should also avoid foods with stimulating properties such as garlic, chili, and onions, as well as stimulating drinks like strong tea, alcohol, coffee, and cola.