Question: How Common Is Nocturnal Asthma?
Answer: Studies of asthma have revealed that as may as 74% of asthmatics have nighttime awakenings at least awoke at least once per week, while as many as 64% may have nocturnal symptoms 3 or more times per week. Importantly, as many as 40% asthmatics experience symptoms nightly.
Asthmatics may under appreciate nocturnal asthma symptoms as a sign of poor asthma control. In another study, 26% of patients who rated their asthma as "mild" reported experiencing asthma symptoms like cough, wheezing, and shortness of breath nightly.
It is important to recognize these nighttime symptoms as poor control because a significant proportion of fatal asthma in adults and children from respiratory arrest and sudden death occurs between midnight and 8 a.m. With frequent nocturnal asthma symptoms, your asthma treatment may need to be altered.
Sources:
Sutherland ER. Nocturnal asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005 Dec;116(6):1179-86.
Martin RJ. <i>UpToDate</i>. Nocturnal asthma. Accessed April 5, 2009.
