What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic disease characterized by recurrent attacks of breathlessness and

wheezing, which vary in severity and frequency from person to person.

Symptoms may occur several times in a day or week in affected individuals, and for some
people become worse during physical activity or at night.

Asthma attack

During an asthma attack, the lining of the bronchial tubes swell, causing the airways to
narrow and reducing the flow of air into and out of the lungs. Recurrent asthma symptoms
frequently cause sleeplessness, daytime fatigue, reduced activity levels and school and work
absenteeism. Asthma has a relatively low fatality rate compared to other chronic diseases.

Facts

According to WHO estimates, 235 million people suffer from asthma.

Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children.

Asthma is not just a public health problem for high income countries: it occurs in all
countries regardless of level of development. Over 80% of asthma deaths occurs in low and
lower-middle income countries.

Asthma is under-diagnosed and under-treated, creating a substantial burden to individuals

and families and possibly restricting individuals activities for a lifetime.

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Asthma
Fact sheet N307
Updated November 2013
Key facts

Asthma is one of the major noncommunicable diseases. It is a chronic disease of the the air
passages of the lungs which inflames and narrows them.

Some 235 million people currently suffer from asthma. It is a common disease among
children.

Most asthma-related deaths occur in low- and lower-middle income countries.

The strongest risk factors for developing asthma are inhaled substances and particles that
may provoke allergic reactions or irritate the airways.

Medication can control asthma. Avoiding asthma triggers can also reduce the severity of
asthma.

Appropriate management of asthma can enable people to enjoy a good quality of life.

Asthma is a major noncommunicable disease characterized by recurrent attacks of

breathlessness and wheezing, which vary in severity and frequency from person to person.
Symptoms may occur several times in a day or week in affected individuals, and for some
people become worse during physical activity or at night. During an asthma attack, the lining
of the bronchial tubes swell, causing the airways to narrow and reducing the flow of air into
and out of the lungs. Recurrent asthma symptoms frequently cause sleeplessness, daytime
fatigue, reduced activity levels and school and work absenteeism. Asthma has a relatively low
fatality rate compared to other chronic diseases.

Facts about asthma

WHO estimates that 235 million people currently suffer from asthma. Asthma is the most
common noncommunicable disease among children.

Asthma is a public health problem not just for high-income countries; it occurs in all
countries regardless of the level of development. Most asthma-related deaths occur in low-
and lower-middle income countries.

Asthma is under-diagnosed and under-treated. It creates substantial burden to individuals

and families and often restricts individuals activities for a lifetime.

The causes

The fundamental causes of asthma are not completely understood. The strongest risk factors
for developing asthma are a combination of genetic predisposition with environmental
exposure to inhaled substances and particles that may provoke allergic reactions or irritate the
airways, such as:

indoor allergens (for example, house dust mites in bedding, carpets and stuffed furniture,
pollution and pet dander)
 outdoor allergens (such as pollens and moulds)

tobacco smoke

chemical irritants in the workplace

air pollution.

Other triggers can include cold air, extreme emotional arousal such as anger or fear, and
physical exercise. Even certain medications can trigger asthma: aspirin and other non-steroid
anti-inflammatory drugs, and beta-blockers (which are used to treat high blood pressure, heart
conditions and migraine).

Urbanization has been associated with an increase in asthma. But the exact nature of this
relationship is unclear.

Reducing the asthma burden

Although asthma cannot be cured, appropriate management can control the disease and
enable people to enjoy a good quality of life. Short-term medications are used to relieve
symptoms. Medications such as long-term inhaled steroids are needed to control the
progression of severe asthma.

People with persistent symptoms must take long-term medication daily to control the
underlying inflammation and prevent symptoms and exacerbations. Inadequate access to
medicines is one of the important reasons for the poor control of asthma in many settings.

Medication is not the only way to control asthma. It is also important to avoid asthma triggers
- stimuli that irritate and inflame the airways. With medical support, each asthma patient must
learn what triggers he or she should avoid.

Although asthma does not kill on the scale of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
or other chronic diseases, failure to use appropriate medications or to adhere to treatment can
lead to death.

WHO strategy for prevention and control of asthma

WHO recognizes that asthma is of major public health importance. The Organization plays a
role in coordinating international efforts against the disease. The aim of its strategy is to
support Member States in their efforts to reduce the disability and premature death related to
asthma.

WHO's programme objectives are:

surveillance to map the magnitude of asthma, analyse its determinants and monitor trends,
with emphasis on poor and disadvantaged populations;

primary prevention to reduce the level of exposure to common risk factors, particularly
tobacco smoke, frequent lower respiratory infections during childhood, and air pollution
(indoor, outdoor, and occupational exposure); and
 improving access to cost-effective interventions including medicines, upgrading standards
and accessibility of care at different levels of the health care system.

Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases:

The Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD) contributes to WHOs
work to prevent and control chronic respiratory diseases. It is a voluntary alliance of national
and international organizations and agencies from many countries. It focuses on the needs of
low- and middle-income countries and vulnerable populations, and fosters initiatives that are
tailored to local needs.

What triggers an asthma attack?

Online Q&A
2 May 2011

Q: What triggers an asthma attack?

A: Asthma is a chronic breathing disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of breathlessness

and wheezing. Some causes and triggers are common to all people with asthma, and some are
more individual. Although the fundamental causes of asthma are not completely understood,
the strongest risk factors for developing asthma are inhaled asthma triggers. These include:

indoor allergens (for example house dust mites in bedding, carpets and stuffed furniture,
pollution and pet dander);

outdoor allergens (such as pollens and moulds);

tobacco smoke; and

chemical irritants in the workplace.

Other triggers can include cold air, extreme emotional arousal such as anger or fear, and
physical exercise. In some people, asthma can even be triggered by certain medications, such
as aspirin and other non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, and beta-blockers (which are used
to treat high blood pressure, heart conditions and migraine). Urbanization has also been
associated with an increase in asthma, however the exact nature of this relationship is unclear.

According to WHO estimates, 235 million people suffer from asthma globally. Although
asthma cannot be cured, appropriate management can control the disorder and enable people
to enjoy good quality of life. In addition, some children with milder forms of asthma outgrow
their symptoms with age.
Chronic diseases and health promotion

WHO/Marko Kokic

Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and
diabetes, are by far the leading cause of mortality in the world, representing 60% of all
deaths. Out of the 35 million people who died from chronic disease in 2005, half were under
70 and half were women.

This invisible epidemic is an under-appreciated cause of poverty and hinders the economic
development of many countries. Contrary to common perception, 80% of chronic disease
deaths occur in low and middle income countries.

Fact File

Increasing levels of physical activity bring health benefits across age groups.

Read the fact file

Video

Learn about misunderstandings surrounding chronic disease.

See the video

What we do

Promote

Promote healthy living (better diet, more physical activity and tobacco cessation) and healthy
societies, especially for the poor and those living in disadvantaged populations.

Prevent

Prevent premature deaths and avoid unnecessary disability due to chronic diseases. The
solutions exist now, and many are simple, cheap and cost effective.
Treat

Treat chronic diseases effectively, using latest available knowledge. Make treatment available
to all, especially those in the poorest settings.

Care

Help provide appropriate care by facilitating equitable and good quality health care for major
chronic diseases.