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Vivatmo for Doctors

Allergic asthma

Frequency, causes and effects

Doctor listening to asthma patient with stethoscope, shirt of concentrated-looking asthma patient is open.

Asthma

Asthmaoverview

Bronchial asthma is a prevalent chronic pulmonary disease that can affect anybody at any age. Dyspnea, coughing at night, shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing, and tightness in the chest are typical symptoms that sufferers experience on the long road to effective diagnosis and treatment.

Asthma control in clinical practice is inadequate in a large number of patients, even though treatment options exist.1 Poor asthma control increases the risk of an asthma attack, impaired quality of life, increased use of healthcare facilities and reduced productivity.2

Asthma causes inflammation of the airways

Bronchial asthma is a prevalent chronic pulmonary disease that can affect anybody at any age. Dyspnea, coughing at night, shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing, and tightness in the chest are typical symptoms that sufferers experience on the long road to effective diagnosis and treatment.

Asthma control in clinical practice is inadequate in a large number of patients, even though treatment options exist.1 Poor asthma control increases the risk of an asthma attack, impaired quality of life, increased use of healthcare facilities and reduced productivity.2

How asthma symptoms develop

As with any inflammatory reaction, there is increased blood flow to the affected tissue. For the lungs, this means that the mucous membranes in the bronchial walls swell and produce excessive amounts of viscous mucus. This is accompanied by paroxysmal contractions of the bronchial musculature. As a result, the airway diameter narrows, hindering the flow of air and in particular impeding exhalation. Typical symptoms of asthma include wheezing, tightness in the chest and dyspnea.

Lung allergic asthma

1 Price et al. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med 2014;24:14009

2 Gruffydd-Jones et al. DGP 2017, Stuttgart: Poster P253