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Asthma, or bronchial asthma, is a long-term airway inflammatory disease.
People with asthma usually have a history of on-and-off symptoms, including wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and cough.
According to the global data in 2019, asthma has affected 262 million people worldwide.
Many different mechanisms can cause asthma. Classification is based on clinical patterns, such as demographic characteristics, clinical presentations and disease processes. The most common types of asthma include:
Some distinct characteristics of asthma include having more than one symptom of wheezing, shortness of breath, cough or chest tightness.
These symptoms may:
If you have asthma, you should be provided with a customised asthma action plan (AAP). This is a guide on asthma control, and will contain information on when to seek medical attention.
If you experience the following, it is advisable to visit the nearest UCC or call an ambulance:
During an asthma attack, the muscle around the airway contract, tissues are swollen, and massive mucus is secreted due to the inflammatory process. All these changes lead to a narrow airway and cause symptoms of wheezing and breathlessness.
Triggers of asthma vary across individuals. They can generally be viral infections, allergens (pollens, dust), food allergies, air pollutants, cold weather, poor medication adherence, exercise and mental stress.
There is no definite answer to why certain people develop asthma. However, there are some factors linked to a higher risk of having an asthma diagnosis:
Once an asthma attack happens, another episode usually follows in a year. Nevertheless, there are steps you can take to reduce this risk:
For mothers who wish to lower their children's risk of getting asthma, here are several effective ways:
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