Asthma
Asthma is a complex disease of the lungs with episodic wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Those symptoms are often brought on by allergens, but they can also be triggered by cold air, exercise, or airborne irritants such as smoke or perfume. Viral infections such as a common cold can trigger exacerbations. Both adults and children are affected. Adults with asthma have often had it all their lives.
Asthma is more than a minor inconvenience. Unfortunately, many people die every year of asthma attacks, and the symptoms can severely affect quality of life. With treatment, symptoms are controllable and the risk of severe exacerbations can be reduced. Allergists are trained to treat asthma, including identifying allergic triggers with skin testing and advising on a medical regimen that fits the disease.
Figures from the AAAAI (kept from the original page)
From the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) as cited on the original page:
- Approximately 20 million Americans have asthma.
- Nine million U.S. children under 18 have been diagnosed with asthma.
- More than 70% of people with asthma also suffer from allergies.
- The prevalence of asthma increased 75% from 1980–1994.
- Asthma rates in children under the age of five increased more than 160% from 1980–1994.
- There were 1.9 million asthma-related visits to emergency departments in 2002.
- There are approximately 5,000 deaths from asthma annually.
- 12.8 million school days are missed annually due to asthma.
- Asthma accounts for approximately 24.5 million missed work days for adults annually.
- Approximately 40% of children who have asthmatic parents will develop asthma.
These numbers were not updated. They are the AAAAI figures that were on the original page. For more from that source, see the AAAAI website.