Asthma is the most common worldwide chronic condition that affects both young and old. It is a condition in which the air way passages are narrowed leading to symptoms of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and cough (Bijanzadeh, Mahesh, Nallur 1). Asthma is caused by increased infiltration of inflammatory cells into the airway, constriction, airway smooth-muscle hypertrophy, and mucous hypersecretion in the bronchiolar walls of the lung (Bijanzadeh, Mahesh, Nallur 1). Most asthma attacks are short, a few minutes to a few hours, and the person recovers completely this is called episodic asthma disease. However, those who have acute severe asthma is much more serious because the asthma attacks lasts for days or weeks, and sometimes it leads to death (Bijanzadeh, Mahesh, Nallur 1).
Most of the time asthma develops in early childhood, and remains present throughout the person’s life. Many factors increase the risk of children developing asthma. Such factors include genetic predisposition, gene-by-environment interaction, environmental factors, prenatal risk factors such as maternal smoking, diet, nutrition, stress, antibiotics, and mode of delivery (Subbarao, Mandhane, and Sears 181). Whether a child inherits the genes for asthma or is exposed to these factors that cause epigenetic in their DNA sequences leading to asthma the outcome is the same-asthma.
To test whether gene-by-environment hypothesis is supported by evidence a study was done over a course of 7 years. The results of this study indicated that the prevalence of asthma was stable or decreased in some areas of the world while in other parts of the world it increased (Subbarao, Mandhane, and Sears 182). This study revealed that asthma in both children and a...
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Secondly, severe asthma can be life-threatening. Suffering from asthma can be frightening to experience and people often feel scared and anxious. The fear and scare can also lead to breathlessness and so mak...
Sigurdarson,S.T. & Kline, J.N. (2006). School proximity to concentrated animal feeding operations and prevelance of asthma in students. Chest, 129, 1486–1491. Retrieved from http://chestjournal.chestpubs.org/content/129/6/1486.full.pdf
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Kozak, B., Strelau, J., & Miles, J. V. (2005). Genetic determinants of individual differences in
Asthma is a disorder that interferes with the lungs and the airways to the lungs. It causes attacks of wheezing and difficult breathing. An asthma attack occurs when the airways respond to some kind of trigger, Some examples of triggers for Asthma attacks are dust, mold, pets, exercise, cold weather, and some attacks start for no known reason. The triggers may irritate the airways to the lungs, allowing disease-fighting cells to build up and causing the lungs to swell up. In addition, the airways could get blocked when the muscles surrounding the lungs tighten. This keeps air from circulating freely in the lungs. Or, mucus may clog and narrow the airways in the lungs, making breathing even more difficult.
Imagine a young child competing with his or her fellow classmates during recess and immediately losing the ability to breathe normally. He or she stops in the middle of the competition and falls to the ground while holding his or her chest trying to find air. When you are young, being able to keep up with your peers during recess and sporting events is very important, however, having asthma restricts this. Asthma has a significant impact on childhood development and the diagnosis of asthma for children 18 years and younger has dramatically increased over the years. Asthma is known as a “chronic inflammation of the small and large airways” with “evident bronchial hyper-responsiveness, airflow obstruction, and in some patients, sub-basement fibrosis and over-secretion of mucus” (Toole, 2013). The constant recreation of the lung walls can even occur in young children and “lead to permanent lung damages and reduced lung function” (Toole, 2013). While one of the factors is genetics, many of the following can be prevented or managed. Obesity, exposure to secondhand smoke, and hospitalization with pneumonia in the early years of life have all been suggested to increase children’s risk of developing asthma.
EIA was discovered as early as the first century AD when it was observed by Aretaeus the Cappadocian that "if from running, gymnastic exercises, or any other work, the breathing becomes difficult, it is called Asthma" (Randolph, 1997, p. 54). After that, no further research or emphasis was placed on EIA until 1698 when Sir John Floyer, an asthma sufferer, wrote the Treatise on Asthma in which he reported the first delineation of asthmogenic activities. In 1864 Salter recognized that EIA was exacerbated by cold air, and in 1962 Jones determined the pattern of bronchodilation followed by bronchoconstriction that is characteristic of EIA. Such strokes stimulated additional research, and in 1984 and...
Pedersen, Soren, and Stanley J. Szefler, eds. Childhood Asthma. Vol. 209. New York: Taylor and Francis, 2006. Print.
Asthma is chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways characterized by recurring episodes of wheeling and breathlessness. It often exists with allergies and can be worsened through exposure to allergens. In fact, asthma is complicated syndromes that have neither single definition nor complete explanation to the point. In light of its treatment, it is worthwhile to notice that asthma cannot be cured, instead can be only managed by avoiding exposure to allergens and/or by using medications regularly.
Research suggests that genetic factors may increase the risk of developing the disorder. Children with a family history of asthma are more likely to develop asthma than other children. Despite this apparent genetic link, many people without a family history of asthma develop the disorder, and scientists continue to investigate additional causes.
An asthma attack has many effects on the body. Asthma affects the body by limiting the flow of air into the lungs. It causes airway inflammation, bronchial restriction and irregular airway obstruction. Airway inflammation is how the body reacts to something that is irritating the airways. When happening your lungs begin swelling, your breathing passageway becomes restricted and mucus is secreted. Bronchial restriction happens when the muscles in your airways tighten around the breathing tubes in your lungs. (Bronchial tubes). Mucus or fluid that is accumulated by the reaction can obstruct your airway and make it very difficult to breathe properly.
Asthma is best described by its technical name: Reversible Obstructive Airway Disease (ROAD). In other words, asthma is a condition in which the airways of the lungs become either narrowed or blocked. The results are usually temporary but they cause shortness of breath, breathing trouble, wheezing, coughing, and tightness in the chest. To know what it really feels like to have asthma, I would like everyone to pick up the straw that’s on their desk and put it in their mouth as if they were using it to drink something. Then, pinch your nose. Try breathing for twenty seconds. A real attack can last up to more than 10 minutes and you are only doing it for 20 seconds. If we had more time, I would have the class go to a stairwell and have you run up and down and see what it is like to have asthma while doing other activities.
Asthma hospitalizations among children ages 5-14 are much higher than the rates in other Queens communities.
They also look at Genetic Epidemiological Studies. These three studies deal with twins in relation to th...
In conclusion, air pollution affects the immune system, making it weak and vulnerable to certain bacteria, illnesses, viruses and foreign invaders. Common diseases that are affected the most include asthma and allergies. Air pollution in general has been seen to modify the immune system's handling of particular allergens. The exposure to toxins like dioxin can cause serious health problems for people. Having long-term exposure to this toxin is connected to weakening of the immune system, as well as the nervous system, endocrine system and certain reproductive functions. Hence, everyone has a particular level and exposure of dioxins in the body. Improving air quality is the key answer to avoiding any type of development of disease, but it is a long term goal that will require the help and commitment at the national and global level.