Exercise-Induced Asthma in Cold Weather

In brief: A 29-year-old distance runner developed wheezing, chest tightness, and cough associated with training or racing in temperatures below 0 C. He had been running for four years and had recently moved to Colorado from Texas. The subject was treated with 2.5 mg of terbutaline orally one hour before running, and his symptoms completely resolved. Premedication was required only during the winter months. This case illustrates that with proper management and premedication tailored to the individual, athletes susceptible to exercise-induced asthma can participate at an essentially normal level throughout the year.