Men and women respond differently to disease.
A study finds that although lung function in men and women with asthma is about the same, women with the disease find it more difficult to breathe and show up in the emergency room more often. The reason, according to a study, may be that women respond to the disease differently from men. Women tend to be more sensitive to their feelings, including feelings of pain, than men who may ignore disease symptoms unless they are severe. It was also noted in the study that twice as many women with asthma as men smoke. The authors stressed that men and women should be taught to use their inhalers and medication correctly.