ShareThisA quick primer on asthma:What is asthma?Asthma is a lung disease that occurs when the airways are inflamed. The inflammation causes the airways of a person with asthma to be sensitive to irritants. An asthma attack occurs when the airways close up, making breathing difficult.What are the symptoms?Asthma can cause wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and difficulty breathing. Symptoms are often more pronounced at night and in the morning. Asthma attacks make symptoms especially pronounced, and can be caused by an allergic reaction, poor air quality, exercise or stress.Who has asthma?About 23 million people in the United States have asthma. African Americans have the highest rates of asthma.How is asthma treated?The two most common treatments are anti-inflammatory drugs, or steroids, that reduce inflammation; and bronchodilators, which provide immediate relief during an asthma attack by relaxing the muscles that tighten around the airway. Anti-inflammatory drugs are meant to be used long-term to keep people from having asthma attacks.In addition to medications, people with asthma are advised to figure out what triggers attacks and how to avoid those triggers.(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
A primer on asthma
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