LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Asthma: Airways
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Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways in the lungs. This inflammation periodically causes the airways to narrow, producing wheezing and breath-lessness sometimes to the point where the patient gasps for air. This obstruction of the air flow either stops spontaneously or responds to a wide range of treatments. Continuing inflammation makes asthmatics hyper-responsive to such stimuli as cold air, exercise, dust, pollutants in the air, and even stress or anxiety.
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Asthma is a disease that affects a person's ability to breathe. It is a chronic lung disease characterized by airway obstruction that is reversible (but not always completely so), airway inflammation, which results from edema or swelling in the lining of the bronchial tubes, and increased airway responsiveness to a variety of stimuli. The symptoms of an asthma attack include wheezing, shortness of breath and coughing. Breathing out is particularly difficult during an asthmatic attack and wheezing during expiration is particularly characteristic. Asthma may be periodic with relatively symptom free intervals or it may be relatively chronic with mild to moderate symptoms present most of the time. Either type of patient may have a severe acute life-threatening attack, which may require potent drugs in a hospital setting.
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Asthma is a condition in which the bronchial tubes in the lungs react to different stimuli by becoming inflamed. These asthma triggers vary and may include exercise, cold air, allergens (such as dust, ragweed, mold, or cat dander), infections, and emotional reactions. Inflammation of the bronchial airways causes them to become constricted and narrowed. This narrowing of the airways, called bronchoconstriction, produces the symptoms: shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, coughing, and wheezing.
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Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that is characterized by difficulty breathing. Asthmatics have hyper sensitive airways that tighten or constrict when exposed to certain triggers, and this tightening inhibits the ability allow air in and out of the lungs. When this happens, two responses take place in the lungs: inflammation, which causes the airways to become red, swollen, and irritated, and bronchoconstriction, which refers to spasms in the muscles that surround the airways. These responses are referred to as an “asthma attack,” which is usually characterized by wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.
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Asthma is a disorder affecting the airways of the lungs. People with asthma have very sensitive airways that narrow in response to certain "triggers", leading to difficulty in breathing. The airway narrowing is caused by inflammation and swelling of the airway lining, the tightening of the airway muscles, and the production of excess mucus. This results in a reduced airflow in and out of the lungs.
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Asthma is a disease of the lung airways. With asthma, the airways are inflamed (swollen) and react easily to certain things, like viruses, smoke, or pollen. When the inflamed airways react, they get narrow and make it hard to breathe. Common asthma symptoms are wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. When these symptoms get worse, it's an asthma attack.
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