Tools and programs customized for you. Help with creating and maintaining private health records . Get all this and more now, free . Asthma is a chronic disease that causes the airflow in and out of the lungs to become blocked by swelling, muscle contractions or excess mucus. When this happens, asthma sufferers experience shortness of breath, wheezing or coughing.
Asthma attacks are usually short-lived, but the condition can exist for a lifetime.
The condition usually develops in childhood, when it is more common among boys than girls. However, among adults more women than men suffer asthma symptoms. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute also reports that the tendency toward asthma is higher among blacks than whites. Some people inherit the tendency to develop asthma. Allergy sufferers are also at risk.