Asthma In The Greek Poem: The Corpus Hippocracyus

Review of Literature

History

The word ‘asthma’ is derived from the Greek verb “aazein”, which means to exhale with open mouth in literal meaning [7]. The entity of asthma was first mentioned in 8th century BC, in Iliad by Greek poet Homer, as a complaint of a short-drawn breath, but the earliest mention of asthma in a medical view was done by Hippocrates in 4th century BC. Greek philosopher Hippocrates, in his text The Corpus Hippocraticum, in which asthma was first described as “the condition that causes an excessive narrowing of the bronchi after a reaction with a provocative stimulus which usually should not produce any effect.”

The best clinical description of asthma as an entity was offered by the eminent clinician of that time, Aretaeus

Severity of symptoms as well as airflow limitation will vary over time as well as in intensity. These variations are often caused by contact with triggering factors such as allergens, irritants, exercise, respiratory infection- particularly viral infection, weather changes etc. When an asthma attack is ongoing, the bronchial mucosa gets inflamed. Along with this inflammation, bronchial smooth muscle contraction will cause narrowing of the tracheobronchial lumen leading to reducing the flow of air into and out of

dusts of wood, vegetables, animal, insect or grain) which are believed to cause asthma through immunological mechanisms, and low-molecular weight compounds (i.e. industrial chemicals and plastics, metal salts) which usually serve as haptines and releases broncho-constrictor substances [53].

Mouldy odour in home or frequent water leakage or humidity in home will facilitate fungal grown in the affected area. The fungal spores can also act as an inducing agent of asthma. These patients should be advised for skin prick testing for fungus antigen, sputum examination or BAL examination for fungal colonization in lung and CT scan to rule out allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis [54]. A study done by Fairs et al showed that isolation of Aspergillus fumigates from sputum is associated with elevated airborne levels in homes of patients with asthma [55].

2) Tobacco smoke: Tobacco smoke is an important triggering factor but its exact role in the pathogenesis of asthma is controversial [56]. It has been established that in-utero or early childhood exposure to tobacco smoke leads to an increased risk of wheezing and abnormal lung function in childhood [57] [58]