Asthma

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways.

Risk factors. Children are the most likely to have asthma. It can vary from mild to very dangerous. The symptoms are caused by a narrowing of the airway causing there to be more mucus and thus a lack of air.

Prevention. Exposure to inappropriate environment (cold, humidity or allergic conditions), exercise or effort in hyper-reactive patients, and emotional stress can trigger an attack.

Asthma causes wheezing, breathlessness, tightness in the chest and a strong cough early in the morning and at night.

Treatment. A combination of drugs and environmental changes.

To understand asthma, you need to know how the respiratory system functions. The airways are tubes that carry air into and out of the lungs. In people who suffer from asthma, airways are inflamed (swollen). This makes them very sensitive and thus they tend to react strongly to the inhalation of certain substances.

When the airways react, the surrounding muscles contract. This makes the airway narrower and therefore less air reaches the lungs. Swelling may also worsen and narrow the respiratory airways further. The cells in the airways may make more mucus than usual. Mucus is a sticky and thick liquid that can further narrow the airways.

This chain reaction can cause symptoms of asthma. Whenever the airways become inflamed, the symptoms may occur.

For more information visit:

GINA - Global Initiative for Asthma
http://www.ginasthma.org/

Creation date: 17/09/2015 - Last modification date: 09/10/2015

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