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Asthma



Asthma: Introduction

Asthma is a chronic, ongoing lung disease or respiratory condition marked by acute flare-ups or attacks of difficulty with breathing. This includes shortness of breath, cough, chest tightness, and the hallmark wheezing sound, a "whistling" noise that occurs with respirations. It is a common condition that most often occurs during childhood and can continue into adulthood. The onset of asthma can also occur at any age. More than 6 million children and 22 million adults in the U.S. have the condition, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Asthma symptoms can range from mild to life threatening.

Asthma is a disease of the lower respiratory track. Characteristics include inflammation of the airways in the lungs. These include the bronchioles, small hollow passageways that branch off the main airway from the mouth and nose. Air and oxygen pass through the bronchioles into the alveoli, tiny hollow structures in the lungs where oxygen is absorbed in to the bloodstream. In asthma, bronchioles and alveoli become inflamed, irritated and swollen, blocking the flow of air into the lungs. The surrounding muscles react by tightening and further blocking the flow of oxygen into the lungs and bloodstream. The airway also begins to make more mucus than normal, which further blocks the airways and compounds the problem with the intake of air.

Symptoms of Asthma

See full list of 18 symptoms of Asthma

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical testing related to Asthma:

Asthma: Complications

Review possible medical complications related to Asthma:

Medical Textbooks Online about Asthma

Medical Books Excerpts
  • "Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs" (2003)
  • "Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs" (2003)
  • "In a Page: Signs and Symptoms" (2004)
  • "In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
  • "In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
  • "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
  • "A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis" (1999)
  • "Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition)" (2005)
  • "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
  • "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
  • "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
  • "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
  • "Field Guide to Bedside Diagnosis" (2007)
  • "Handbook of Diseases" (2003)
  • "Alarming Signs and Symptoms: Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice Series" (2007)
  • "Alarming Signs and Symptoms: Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice Series" (2007)
  • "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
  • "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
  • "The Diagnostic Approach to Symptoms and Signs in Pediatrics" (2006)
  • "The Diagnostic Approach to Symptoms and Signs in Pediatrics" (2006)
  • "Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
  • "Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • "The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult" (2008)

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Wrongly Diagnosed with Asthma?

Asthma: Self Assessment Tools

Asthma: Medical Mistakes

Asthma: Marketplace Products, Discounts & Offers

Products, offers and promotion categories available for Asthma:

Asthma: Undiagnosed Conditions

Commonly undiagnosed diseases in related medical categories:

Misdiagnosis and Asthma

Chronic lung diseases hard to diagnose: Some of the chronic lung diseases are difficult to diagnose. Even the well-knowns conditions such as asthma or lung cancer often fail to be diagnosed early. Some of the chronic lung diseases with diagnostic difficulties include asthma (perhaps surprisingly), COPD, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, mesothelioma, smoker's cough, AIDS-related respiratory conditions (see AIDS), chronic pneumonia, and other respiratory diseases. Rare possibilities include diseases like psittacosis (bird-related lung infection). See other types of chronic lung diseases....read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Asthma

Asthma: Research Doctors & Specialists

Research related physicians and medical specialists:

Other doctor, physician and specialist research services:

Hospitals & Clinics: Asthma

Research quality ratings and patient safety measures for medical facilities in specialties related to Asthma:

Hospital & Clinic quality ratings » »

Choosing the Best Hospital: More general information, not necessarily in relation to Asthma, on hospital performance and surgical care quality:

Asthma: Rare Types

Rare types of diseases and disorders in related medical categories:

Causes of Asthma

Read more about causes of Asthma.

More information about causes of Asthma:

Treatments for Asthma

See full list of 36 treatments for Asthma

Latest Treatments for Asthma

See full list of 8 latest treatments for Asthma

News Archives for Asthma

Medical news articles related to Asthma include:

Source: HealthDay News

Videos for Asthma

Asthma Overview

Asthma OverviewAsthma strikes a surprisingly large number of Americans. For some it is a nuisance, to others it can be serious. Listen to experts talk about the...

Asthma in Adolescents

Asthma in AdolescentsBeing a teen can be difficult. Being a teen with asthma poses extra challenges. There may be changes in the characteristics of their symptoms due to...

 

Asthma in Kids 5-12

Asthma in Kids 5-12Most kids with asthma will have their first episode before they go to school. But as kids get older their asthma triggers often change. The best...

Asthma in Kids Under 5

Asthma in Kids Under 5Up to 10% of children in the United States have asthma, and asthma control is key to preventing long-term problems. National treatment guidelines...

 
See full list of 18 related videos

Patient Surveys for Asthma

Prognosis for Asthma

Prognosis for Asthma: Almost all asthma patients can become free of symptoms with proper treatment. Patients and their families should expect nothing less. (Source: excerpt from NHLBI - Your Asthma Can Be Controlled: NHLBI)

More about prognosis of Asthma

Reseach about Asthma

Visit our research pages for current research about Asthma treatments.

Clinical Trials for Asthma

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Asthma include:

See full list of 551 Clinical Trials for Asthma

Statistics for Asthma

Asthma: Broader Related Topics

Types of Asthma

Curable Types of Asthma

Possibly curable types of Asthma include:

Rare Types of Asthma:

Rare types of Asthma include:

Stories from Users Related to Asthma

Related forums and medical stories:

User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Asthma, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

Article Excerpts about Asthma

NHLBI, Asthma & Physical Activity in the School: NHLBI (Excerpt)

Asthma is a chronic lung condition with ongoing airway inflammation that results in recurring acute episodes (attacks) of breathing problems such as coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. These symptoms occur because the inflammation makes the airways overreact to a variety of stimuli including physical activity, upper respiratory infections, allergens, and irritants. Exposure to these stimuli--often called triggers--creates more swelling and blocking of the airways. Asthma episodes can be mild, moderate, or even life-threatening. Vigorous exercise will cause symptoms for most students with asthma if their asthma is not well-controlled. Some students experience symptoms only when they exercise. However, today's treatments can successfully control asthma so that students can participate fully in physical activities most of the time. (Source: excerpt from NHLBI, Asthma & Physical Activity in the School: NHLBI)

NHLBI, Asthma Age Page: NHLBI (Excerpt)

Asthma is a disease of the lung airways. With asthma, the airways are inflamed (swollen) and react easily to certain things, like viruses, smoke, or pollen. When the inflamed airways react, they get narrow and make it hard to breathe. Common asthma symptoms are wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. When these symptoms get worse, it's an asthma attack. (Source: excerpt from NHLBI, Asthma Age Page: NHLBI)

ASTHMA: NWHIC (Excerpt)

Asthma is a chronic lung condition marked by labored breathing, wheezing, and/or coughing. During an asthmatic episode, bronchial tubes or airways become narrowed by the production of excess mucus, the swelling of airway linings, or the tightening of muscles around the airways. (Source: excerpt from ASTHMA: NWHIC)

Definitions of Asthma:

Form of bronchial disorder associated with airway obstruction, marked by recurrent attacks of paroxysmal dyspnea, with wheezing due to spasmodic contraction of the bronchi. - (Source - Diseases Database)

Respiratory disorder characterized by wheezing; usually of allergic origin - (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Contents for Asthma: User Surveys and Discussion Forums


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