Asthma : Articles

Asthma is an inflammatory disorder of the airways, which causes attacks of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. See also: Pediatric asthma

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways in the lungs. This inflammation periodically causes the airways to narrow, producing wheezing and breath-lessness sometimes to the point where the patient gasps for air. This obstruction of the air flow either stops spontaneously or responds to a wide range of treatments. Continuing inflammation makes asthmatics hyper-responsive to such stimuli as cold air, exercise , dust, pollutants in the air, and even stress or anxiety .

Asthma is a disease of the respiratory system that causes breathing difficulty. Asthma is typically expressed by repeated but reversible episodes of constriction and inflammation of the airways and lungs. Typical symptoms include wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. Technically, asthma is described as a chronic inflammatory disorder of the respiratory system. Asthma has both a genetic and environmental basis. The symptoms of asthma are caused by allergic-like reactions of the body's immune system to environmental and behavioral stimuli.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory system that causes breathing difficulty. Asthma comes from the Greek word for panting. The disease is an over-responsiveness of the respiratory system to stimulating factors. It is characterized by repeated, temporary episodes of constriction and inflammation of the airways and lungs, along with excess mucous production. Asthma causes wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. Asthma attacks are characterized by severe difficulty breathing, especially when exhaling. Severe attacks that are left untreated may become fatal. An individual with asthma may be completely without symptoms between attacks.

Asthma is a chronic (long-lasting) inflammatory disease of the airways. In people susceptible to asthma, this inflammation causes the airways to narrow periodically. This narrowing, in turn, produces wheezing and breathlessness that sometimes causes the patient to gasp for air. Obstruction to air flow either stops spontaneously or responds to a wide range of treatments, but continuing inflammation makes the airways hyper-responsive to stimuli such as cold air, exercise , dust mites, pollutants in the air, and even stress and anxiety .

Today asthma is viewed as a chronic (long-lasting) inflammatory disease of the airways. In those susceptible to asthma, this inflammation causes the airways to narrow periodically. This, in turn, produces wheezing and breathlessness, sometimes to the point where the patient gasps for air. Obstruction to air flow either stops spontaneously or responds to a wide range of treatments, but continuing inflammation makes the airways hyper-responsive to stimuli such as cold air, exercise , dust mites, pollutants in the air, and even stress and anxiety .

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways in which periods of relatively free breathing are punctuated by episodes in which breathing becomes difficult. During an attack, inflammation causes the airways to fill with mucus secretions and become obstructed. Asthmatics cough, gasp for air, wheeze, gag, and feel choking sensations as they struggle to breathe. Obstruction to airflow usually responds to a wide range of treatments. Depending of the type of asthma, attacks may be triggered by environmental factors such as cold temperatures, air pollution, smoke, pollen, dust, mildew, mold, and animal hair or dander. Exercise , allergic reactions, respiratory infections, and emotional stress may also trigger attacks. Like other chronic diseases, asthma can be controlled, but not cured. According to the American Lung Association, in 1998 there were 26 million Americans asthmatics, 10.6 of whom had had an attack during the past year. About a third of all asthmatics are children under 18. Since asthma is often undiagnosed, these statistics probably under-estimate the true prevalence of the disease.

Asthma is a disease of the airways in the lungs. No one knows exactly why some children get it. And so far there isn't a cure. But it can be controlled so your child can enjoy a happy, active life.

A lung disease characterized by spasms and inflammation of the airways, causing wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. Asthma is a lung disease characterized by recurring and sometimes persistent spasms and inflammation of the airways, causing episodic symptoms of wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.

Asthma is a common chronic lung disease characterized by a narrowing of the airways, resulting in obstruction of the flow of air and difficulty in breathing. The airflow obstruction is partially or completely reversible in most patients. Different designations of asthma include bronchial asthma, exercise-induced asthma, drug-induced asthma, occupational asthma, and cardiac asthma (airway narrowing in the setting of congestive heart failure). This discussion focuses primarily on bronchial asthma, a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways (both the larger "bronchi" and the smaller "bronchioles"), resulting in airflow obstruction and increased sensitivity (responsiveness) of the airways to a variety of stimuli ("bronchial hyperreactivity"). About 15 million Americans, a third of whom are children, suffer from asthma, and more than 5,000 people die from it each year. The condition accounts for an estimated 100 million days of restricted activity and 470,000 hospitalizations annually in the United States. Over the last three to four decades both the prevalence and the death rate from asthma in the United States and many other developed countries have increased. In the United States, the increases in death rates have been higher in women than in men and higher in blacks than in whites. The most important risk factor to develop bronchial asthma is atopy, an inherited predisposition to have allergies. An acute attack of asthma may occur if an atopic individual inhales allergy-provoking substances (allergens) such as ragweed, cat dander, or house dust. A variety of cells are involved in the asthmatic inflammatory reaction in the airway walls, including neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, mast cells, and macrophages. These cells release mediators (chemicals such as "cytokines") that provoke the inflammatory process. Asthma also occurs in people without allergies. During an acute episode of asthma, bronchial narrowing ("bronchoconstriction") results from the buildup of plugs of mucus and cellular debris in the lumen, contraction of smooth-muscle cells ringing the airways, and inflammation and edema of the mucosa. Permanent changes in the airway, including enlargement of the submucosal mucous glands, proliferation of mucus-secreting cells and smooth-muscle cells, and deposition of fibrous tissue in the mucosa, may occur in chronic asthma, a process known as "airway remodeling." The degree of airflow limitation in patients with asthma is measured by performing breathing tests (pulmonary function tests) such as spirometry and the recording of peak expiratory flow rates (PEFRs). This requires the patient to take in as deep a breath as possible and blow it out with maximum effort into a recording instrument. Obstructive dysfunction is detected if airflow rates are significantly less than predicted values. Partial or complete reversibility of the obstructive dysfunction is possible in most cases after the inhalation of a medication (e.g., albuterol) that dilates the airways. Between episodes of asthma, airflow rates may be normal. However, a patient who has had asthma for many years may display persistent and irreversible obstructive dysfunction as a result of airway remodeling. Spirometry is also employed in bronchial-provocation testing to determine if an individual with suspected asthma has bronchial hyperreactivity (an unusual degree of airway sensitivity to challenges such as exercise or the inhalation of dilute solutions of chemicals such as methacholine). Patients with asthma suffer from shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, and cough. These symptoms, which may be episodic or chronic, are often worse early in the morning and may disrupt sleep. Asthma often develops in childhood, but it may appear at any age. Episodes of asthma may be spontaneous, but more commonly they are "triggered" by various stimuli, such as inhaling allergens or nonspecific airway irritants (e.g., dusts, smoke, fumes, cold air), upper or lower res

If you have asthma, you can enjoy sports if you know how to do them safely. Being active can even help your asthma. Besides being fun, exercise can make you a winner. Here are some examples.

Ask your doctor which sports and exercises are best for you. Here is a picture that shows many fun activities. Circle the sports you enjoy or would like to try.

Each time you blow into your peak flow meter, you get a number. The number tells you what zone you’re in: green, yellow, or red. When you take your peak flow and find your zone, do what your action plan tells you to do.

Use this fun sheet to find your asthma triggers.

You can learn how to help control your asthma. One way is to learn about the things that make you have flare-ups. You can also learn how to know when a flare-up is on the way. The more you know, the easier it will be to control your asthma.

You may notice you have asthma and allergy problems when you are around certain animals. Having allergies to animals can trigger asthma flare-ups. The allergy is to an animal’s dander (dry skin flakes), feathers, droppings, and saliva.

Your child's healthcare team works with you to make an action plan for your child. The plan can help control asthma on a daily basis and prevent flare-ups. It also tells what to do if a flare-up occurs. Part of the plan is understanding the medications used to control asthma. Here is an outline.

Your child will most likely have at least one inhaled type of asthma medication. Which type depends on the kind of medication she takes or on her age and preference.

You can smooth the way for your asthmatic child to spend time at the homes of family and friends, at daycare, or at school.

If your child's asthma treatment isn’t working, don’t give up! With the right plan, asthma can be controlled.

Exercise is good for everyone, including people with asthma. Exercise can improve your health. It also helps your body make better use of oxygen. This can reduce asthma symptoms. Just be sure your exercise program is one designed to keep your asthma under control.

The weather. Food habits. Illness. Many things may trigger your asthma symptoms. Then do what you can to control these triggers. This may mean avoiding certain situations or things, or just learning to relax. These tips may help.

Peak flow monitoring lets you know how well you’re controlling your asthma. It does this by telling you which asthma zone you’re in. If needed, you’ll be given an action plan that tells you what to do if your asthma gets out of control. Your healthcare team will explain how your symptoms or peak flow numbers can help you know which zone you’re in. This chart helps you understand each zone.

Things that pollute the air at home, work, or outdoors may bother your lungs if you have asthma. These things are hard to avoid. They include smoke, perfume, sprays, and car exhaust. These tips may help you stay away from them.

Don’t let fear of an asthma flare-up keep your child from being active. Olympic athletes with asthma are able to perform because their asthma is in control. The same is true for your child.

Asthma is a disease that inflames and narrows the airways in your lungs. If the airways become so narrow that you have trouble breathing, it’s called an asthma flare-up (or “asthma attack”). Air travels into and out of the lungs through tubes called airways.

Triggers are substances or conditions that cause the airways of the lungs to become inflamed and swollen. Some triggers can also set off an asthma attack. In order to control your asthma, you need to control your triggers. Learn which triggers you are sensitive to.