Knowing the pathophysiology of asthma can greatly help patients prevent the frequent attacks of asthma.
One of the most persistent respiratory problems, asthma is characterized by frequent episodes of breathlessness and coughing that ranges from being mild to life-threatening. There is no known cure for this disease.
What is the pathophysiology of asthma?
A lot of factors may cause asthma. The ones that play the most important roles in this diseases' development are allergy or hypersensitivity, excess secretion of mucus, bronchial spasm and inflammation of the airways.
Hypersensitivity of the airways means that the bronchial tubes react severely to allergens where this exaggerated reaction can lead to suffocation and coughing. Allergy is the body's hypersensitivity to some external material. A lot of asthma patients have some types of allergies that trigger the inflammation process.
Hyper-responsiveness to irritants also causes the bronchial system to secrete excessive mucus that floods the airways. Too much mucus blocks the airways making it difficult to breathe.
Bronchospasm or the spasms of the muscle layers in the bronchial walls make matters worse.
What are the precipitating & triggering events?
Asthmatic attack is often triggered by prolonged exposure to allergens. It may also be triggered by an attack of flu or a respiratory infection. Other factors include smoking, obesity, temperature changes and air pollution.
Other factors that can contribute include smoking, air pollution and excessive weight.
The pathophysiology of asthma involves an error in the body's response to external matters and the presence of known triggers. Genetic factors also play a role.
To deal with asthma in a realistic way, one must learn how it happens and what necessary precautions must be taken.
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