Asthma is a chronic condition in your lungs that has two
main components. When you have asthma, two things happen inside your lungs ---
constriction, the tightening of the muscles surrounding the airways, and
inflammation, the swelling and irritation of the airways. Constriction and
inflammation cause narrowing of the airways, which may result in symptoms such
as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath. Furthermore,
there is increasing evidence that, if left untreated, asthma can cause
long-term loss of lung function. When you have asthma and are exposed to a
trigger, the airways leading to the lungs become more inflamed or swollen than
usual, making it harder for you to breathe. The airways also get smaller due to
a tightening of the muscles surrounding the airways, and they get "stuffed
up" due to a build-up of mucus.
Seventeen million Americans, five million of them children
have asthma. The incidence has increased over 50% in the last fifteen years.
There are over five hundred thousands hospitalizations each year, making asthma
on of the top five most expensive diseases our healthcare system must cover.
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