Asthma

Editor: V. Dimov, M.D., Allergist/Immunologist, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Clinical Associate Professor, FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine

Asthma is a disease that causes the airways of the lungs to swell and narrow, leading to wheeze, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and cough. Asthma is the most common chronic lung disease, affecting up to 10% of adults and 30% of children.

How to use your asthma inhalers and nebulizer (video)
How to use a spacer (video)
Asthma action plan and peak flow meter video
Key questions to ask when taking the medical history of a patient with asthma or suspected asthma
Asthma & Allergy Medications
Here is what wheezing sounds like (click to play the embedded video):





Asthma Treatment Options (click to enlarge the image).



Differential diagnosis of cough. Click here to enlarge the image



Asthma Inhalers (click to enlarge the image).



Allergic (atopic) march (click here to enlarge the image). Allergic (Atopic) March refers to the natural history or typical progression of allergic diseases that often begin early in life. These include atopic dermatitis (eczema), food allergy, allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and asthma.



Modified Asthma Predictive Index (API) (click to enlarge the image).



Uncontrolled asthma: “What to do when asthma is not doing well?” (click to enlarge the image).

What to expect when visiting an allergy clinic

Current allergy skin tests are virtually painless. This video by Dr. Bassett, a board-certified allergist from New York City, shows what to expect when visiting an allergy clinic for diagnosis and treatment:



Image source: Image source: FDA and Wikipedia, public domain.

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Published: 06/28/2007
Updated: 01/02/2023