Women and respiratory pathology
#8M In the month of women, GRAP – Respiratory Group in Primary Care organized a meeting on respiratory health from the perspective of the female population.
Led and moderated by Dr. Eva Trillo Calvo, a specialist in family and community medicine, this session was attended by the leading figures Milagros González Bejar, Marián González Castro, Isabel Portella Ferrero and Irantzu Muerza Santos, who addressed the impact of respiratory pathologies , such as asthma, COPD and obstructive sleep apnea, and smoking in women.
We share some fragments and messages from this interesting meeting.
What unique challenges face women in health?
- Anatomical and functional differences
- FEV1 decline faster than expected
- Pathologies in women never smokers
- More and more women smokers
- Impact of respiratory pathologies in pregnancy
This translates into diagnostic, treatment and follow-up problems.
La primary care plays a key role in the investigation of these underrecognized risk factors: psychosocial, economic level, cultural and/or environmental effects.
"Women are affected differently than men in different pathologies, and in respiratory in particular, so it is necessary to study, anticipate and address a gap that affects the health of society".
Eva Trillo Calvo, Medical specialist in Family and Community Medicine. CS Campo de Belchite. Saragossa.
"At the diagnosis of COPD in women, there are variables that specifically influence and must be taken into account in the consultation, such as, for example, the feeling of guilt of women who smoke, in addition, in general, they do not ask for help, and/or the professional thinks or assumes that it is asthma or an anxiety attack”
Dra Milagros González Bejar, medical specialist in family and community medicine (CS Montesa de Madrid)
"The Smoking It is still more common in men, but in recent years smoke consumption has increased in women, especially in the 45-54 age range. The age of onset is similar in both sexes, around 14 years old”.
“The health effects of tobacco appear to be more detrimental in women than in men.”
Marián González Castro, community pharmacist (Coruxo Vigo)
"The woman's dream it changes as time and years go by, in addition, it is influenced by external, environmental and hormonal factors. In fact, women are more likely to have more sleep disturbances than men due to changes in hormones."
Isabel Portela Ferreño, DUE Hospital Alvaro Cunqueiro Vigo
Asthma differences in women
Studies show that asthma can affect women and men differently. According to published studies, testosterone protects men by suppressing the production of a type of immune cell that triggers allergic asthma.
In adults, it is twice as prevalent and more severe in women than in men, despite being more common in boys than girls before puberty.
Irantzu Muerza Santos – Asthmatic patient. President of ASMABI and Head of the National Asthma Coordinator of FENAER
There is also an impact of asthma on the menstrual cycle, menopause, breastfeeding, and long-term side effects.
You can see the full webinar HERE
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