Asthma Asthma Asthma is a long term disorder of the airways in the lungs. During an asthmatic episode, there are repeated periods of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing, particularly at night or in the early morning.
Breathing is made more difficult as the airways clamp down, becoming narrower.
Treatment is generally needed to relieve this narrowing. Asthma accounts for 100 million days annually of restricted activity and 470,000 hospitalizations. More than 5,000 people die each year from asthma. Risk Factors Asthma can either start as a child or an adult. Common factors that are associated with asthma in children include a family history, allergies or a history of respiratory viral infections.