|
Overview
Asthma, chronic inflammatory respiratory
disease characterized by periodic attacks of wheezing, shortness of breath, and
a tight feeling in the chest. A cough producing sticky mucus is symptomatic. The
symptoms often appear to be caused by the body's reaction to a trigger such as
an allergen certain drugs, an irritant (such as cigarette smoke or workplace chemicals),
exercise, or emotional stress. These
triggers can cause the asthmatic's lungs to release chemicals that create inflammation
of the bronchial lining, constriction, and bronchial spasms. If the effect on
the bronchi becomes severe enough to impede exhalation, carbon dioxide can build
up in the lungs and lead to unconsciousness and death. Following a steady 30-year
decline, asthma deaths in the United States, especially among poor, inner-city
blacks and among the elderly, began to rise from the late 1970s through the early
1990s. <<back |