What is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic condition that causes a narrowing of the airways to the lungs. People with asthma may suffer from breathlessness, wheezing, coughing and a tight feeling in the chest. This happens to people with asthma because:

• The airways are constantly inflamed.
• The lungs of people with asthma are very sensitive to allergens and irritants, when these allergens or irritants are present, the muscle of the airways become narrowed.

How common is asthma?

Approximately 300 million people around the world have asthma, and it has become more common in both children and adults globally in recent years. Estimates have shown that the number of people with asthma could grow to as many as 400-450 million people worldwide by 2025.

What causes asthma?

Asthma is often passed down through the family. Other factors can add to the likelihood of someone developing asthma, for example if a woman smokes during pregnancy, it is thought that her child is more likely to develop asthma. A condition called atopy is often linked with asthma. Atopy is when a person is very sensitive to allergens in the environment. In asthma, the lungs react to allergens, sometimes known as triggers which make it difficult to breathe. There are also environmental triggers that can suddenly make asthma worse.

Related Conditions

• Allergic Rhinitis
• Eczema