Page 12 - Layout 1

ASTHMA &
ALLERGIES

Sandra Adams loves solving mysteries.
Dr. That is one of the things that made
her want to go into medicine, the chal-
lenge of solving medical mysteries.
UT HEALTH form of a patient every day in the ICU,” said Adams,
“A new mystery reveals itself in the

now a Distinguished Professor of Medicine at UT
Health San Antonio. “Patients come in and you are faced
RESEARCHERS history, recent state of health, stress levels, family history,
with the challenge of learning about their past medical

and then you factor in their social behaviors and cur-
finding new ways rently prescribed and non-prescribed medications to
build your case. It’s a bit Sherlock Holmes-like if you
think about it, but if it is all done correctly, you can set
to treat asthma your patient on the path to healing.”
One of the biggest mysteries facing Adams upon
graduating from medical school was the plight of pa-
tients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary dis-
By Mike W. Thomas
ease or COPD. These patients seemed to be sentenced
to die a miserable death with many believing their fate
was deserved as a result of poor lifestyle choices (i.e.
smoking). Adams was dismayed by this prospect and re-
fused to accept that conclusion.

12 San Antonio Medicine • October 2018