Asthma

Asthma is a disease of the human respiratory system in which the airways narrow, often in response to a "trigger" such as exposure to an allergen, cold air, exercise, or emotional stress. This narrowing causes symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing, which are the hallmarks of asthma. Between episodes, most patients feel fine.

Signs and symptoms

An acute exacerbation of asthma is referred to colloquially as an asthma attack. The clinical hallmarks of an attack are shortness of breath (dyspnea) and wheezing, the latter "often being regarded as the sine qua non".{{an|McFadden}} A cough?sometimes producing clear sputum?may also be present. The onset is often sudden; there is a "sense of constriction" in the chest, breathing becomes difficult, and wheezing occurs (typically in both respiratory phases).

Related Topics:
Dyspnea - Wheezing - Sine qua non - Sputum - Respiratory

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Signs of an asthmatic episode are wheezing, rapid breathing (tachypnea), prolonged expiration, a rapid heart rate (tachycardia), rhonchous lung sounds (audible through a stethoscope), and overinflation of the chest. During a serious asthma attack, the accessory muscles of respiration may be used, shown as in-drawing of tissues between the ribs and above the sternum and clavicles, and the presence of a paradoxical pulse (a pulse that is weaker during inhalation and stronger during exhalation).{{an num|McFadden|4}} During very severe attacks, an asthma sufferer can turn blue from lack of oxygen and can experience chest pain or even loss of consciousness. Severe asthma attacks may lead to respiratory arrest and death. Despite the severity of symptoms during an asthmatic episode, between attacks an asthmatic may show few signs of the disease.

Related Topics:
Signs - Tachypnea - Tachycardia - Rhonchous - Stethoscope - Muscle - Tissue - Sternum - Clavicle - Paradoxical pulse - Chest pain - Consciousness

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