For decades, asthmatic patients have suffered attacks triggered by various allergens. Though there is currently no cure available for asthma, patients use inhalers, injections, and nebulizers to manage the symptoms.
…but that is about to change in the near future!
Researches from Cardiff University in Wales, UK, have finally identified the root cause for asthma. The discovery also led to them finding the best treatment for the root cause of the medical condition.
You might say, “But asthma can already be treated by nebulizers and inhalers!” Well, in reality, nebulizers and inhalers are only helping the patients manage the symptoms but are not curing the condition!
Discovering the Cause of Asthma
The gene CaSR (calcium sensing receptor) appears to be the culprit for causing asthma after it was discovered to be present in all human airway tissue from asthmatics as compared with samples from healthy people.
Professor Daniela Riccardi gladly announced the research findings, saying environmental triggers like car fumes, cigarette smoke, and various allergens triggers the release of chemicals which activate the CaSR in a patient’s airways.
Once activated, the CaSR inflames the airways, leading to narrowing that makes the patient’s breathing difficult. This also causes the other symptoms associated with asthma.
Finding Cure for Asthma
What’s so wonderful about this breakthrough is that the researchers were also able to find a way to switch off the CaSR, effectively curing asthma. The answer actually lies with calcilytics which were first developed as a possible treatment for osteoporosis around 15 years ago.
Though calcilytics were not effective in treating osteoporosis, studies have shown these drugs can be re-purposed in the treatment of asthma. It would take around 5 years before the drugs could be released to the market as there are plenty of requirements to fulfill before these could be deemed safe and effective for asthma treatment but this breakthrough is already great news to asthmatics.
