Asthma is a condition that causes the bronchial tubes, or airways in the lungs, to become inflamed and closed. The bronchial walls get tight and mucus is formed that blocks the air pathways. Asthma can be a life-threatening condition or merely produce minor problems with wheezing, report doctors at the Mayo Clinic.
Symptoms
Signs of asthma include chest tightness and shortness of breath, as well as coughing and wheezing during sleep.
Cause
Mayo Clinic doctors report that asthma most likely is an inherited condition that is exacerbated by environmental factors, such as medications, pollution and stress.
Risks
People at risk for developing asthma are those with a family history of the illness, people living in urban areas and those exposed to secondhand smoke. Frequent childhood respiratory infections can cause asthma.
Diagnosis
Since the signs and symptoms are difficult to diagnose because they resemble so many other respiratory conditions, doctors use a spirometer to measure how much the bronchial tubes dilate while breathing.
Classifications
Asthma varies among patients and is usually assigned a classification to determine treatment. Asthma classifications range from mild intermittent symptoms that are present up to two days a week to severe persistent cases that affect the patients every day.
Warning
Asthma can become life-threatening when the airways close permanently and require emergency hospitalization.
