World Asthma Day 4 May 2021

What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways that makes breathing difficult. People with asthma may find it difficult to do certain physical activities or may not be able to do them at all. Although for some people asthma symptoms occur rarely, others experience them daily and sometimes experience life-threatening episodes.

"According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 25 million Americans have asthma. At the same time, asthma is the most common chronic condition occurring in children, with about 1 in 12 living with it in the U.S."

In asthma, the walls of the small airways of the lungs become inflamed and the inside of the lungs fill with inflammatory fluid. As a result, the process of breathing becomes difficult. 

Symptoms that accompany asthma

The most common symptom of asthma is wheezing, a whistle-like sound that is heard when people with asthma breathe.

Other symptoms of asthma are:

• Coughing, especially at night or during exercise
• Chest tightness and difficulty breathing 
• The difficulty in speaking
• The anxiety or panic
• The fatigue

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Symptoms are not the same for all types of asthma. Some types present with milder symptoms, while others take the patient straight to the emergency department.

Types of asthma

"The most common type of asthma is bronchial asthma, which affects the function of the bronchial tubes of the lungs."

Other types of asthma are:

• Allergic asthma 
• Non-allergic asthma (congenital asthma)
• Work-related asthma
• Exercise-induced asthma
• Asthma caused by aspirin
• Nocturnal asthma
• Coughing equivalent of asthma

Asthma classification 

Asthma is classified according to its severity as follows:

• Intermittent. Most people have this type of asthma, which does not affect daily activities. Symptoms are mild, lasting less than two days a week or two nights per month.
• Mild persistent. Symptoms occur more than twice a week - but not every day - and up to four nights a month.
• Moderately persistent. Symptoms occur daily and at least one night a week, but not every night. They may limit certain daily activities.
• Seriously persistent. Symptoms occur several times each day and most nights. Daily activities are extremely limited.

Diagnosis and treatment of asthma

The diagnosis is made with the help of various breathing tests. The clinical examination, as well as the patient's history, is of utmost importance for a correct and timely diagnosis. Respiratory tests are not indicated for the diagnosis of asthma in children younger than 5 years of age, because the result may not be reliable. In general, asthma is treated with medication, breathing exercises, and lifestyle changes. Medication may be given long-term or only in flare-ups, depending on the doctor's instructions.