Bronchial asthma is an inflammatory disease of the respiratory airways. People who have asthma are usually allergic to a combination of substances, such as pollen, mold or even pet dander. When exposed to these substances, they begin to experiencing wheezing, difficulty breathing, chest discomfort and episodes of coughing. If treated properly, asthma rarely causes long-term complications, but if left untreated the disease can cause a variety of complications.
Reduction in Capacity for Physical Activity
Patients suffering from bronchial asthma often develop a decreased ability to exercise or perform other physical activities, according to MedlinePlus, a National Institutes of Health website. If untreated, persistent asthma attacks will permanently impair the patient's ability to perform strenuous tasks. Patients often notice that activities that were once easily accomplished become difficult or impossible to perform.
Airway Remodeling
Bronchial asthma can cause a permanent change in the respiratory pathways. This process is called airway remodeling, and is a complication of untreated asthma, according to MayoClinic.com. The constant inflammation causes the airways, or bronchi, to narrow. This adversely affects the patient's breathing efficiency. If asthma causes airway remodeling, then the patient will need to be monitored for difficulty breathing and decreased oxygen content of the blood.
Breathing Trouble
Cases of bronchial asthma that go untreated often lead to severe difficulty in breathing. Rarely, this decreased ability to breathe results in patients requiring mechanical assistance to breathe properly, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center. The most commonly used machine that aids in breathing is called a ventilator. This machine provides air that contains high amounts of oxygen to the patient.
Lack of Sleep
Severe, chronic cases of bronchial asthma commonly prevent patients from getting adequate amounts of sleep, states MayoClinic.com This is because the disease often manifests at night, which causes patients to wake up; the hormones that cause the inflammation of the airways can be released even when patients are asleep. This causes patients to wake up wheezing, coughing or breathing heavily.
Death
Death only occurs in patients who do not receive adequate treatment for their bronchial asthma, according to MedlinePlus. Asthma can cause the airways to swell to such a degree that air cannot pass through freely. Without the exchange of gases within the lungs, the patient can perish within minutes. The longer the patient suffers from asthma, the higher the risk of massive inflammation and swelling within the bronchi.
