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Last Updated: Aug 6th, 2008 - 09:50:39 |
Asthma: A Concern for Minority Populations
Allergic diseases, including asthma, are among the major causes of illness and disability in the United States. Illness and death from asthma have been increasing in this country for the past 15 years and are particularly high among poor, inner-city African-Americans. Although asthma is only slightly more prevalent among minority children than among whites, it accounts for three times the number of deaths. Low socioeconomic status, exposure to urban environmental contaminants, lack of access to medical care, and lack of self-management skills all contribute to the increase in deaths in minority communities.
New Research Raises Hopes For Improved Asthma Treatment
The new finding, along with some previous studies, is setting off a race among several drug and biotechnology companies to develop new, more powerful drugs.
How the Lungs Work
A slice of normal lung looks like a pink sponge¡ªfilled with tiny bubbles or holes. Around each bubble is a fine network of tiny blood vessels. These bubbles, which are surrounded by blood vessels, give the lungs a large surface to exchange oxygen (into the blood where it is carried throughout the body) and carbon dioxide (out of the blood). This process is called gas exchange. Healthy lungs do this very well.
What Is Asthma?
Asthma (AZ-muh) is a chronic disease that affects your airways, which are the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the inside walls of your airways are inflamed (swollen). The inflammation (IN-fla-MAY-shun) makes the airways very sensitive, and they tend to react strongly to things to which you are allergic or find irritating. When the airways react, they get narrower and less air flows through to your lung tissues. This causes symptoms like wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), coughing, chest tightness, and trouble breathing.
Asthma for kids
Asthma (say: az-muh) is a condition that affects a person's airways, which are also called breathing tubes or bronchial (say: brong-kee-ul) tubes. These tubes lead from the windpipe, or trachea (say: tray-kee-uh), into the lungs.
Asthma in Children
During asthma attacks, the airways are more obstructed and the airflow decreases. Your child's treatment is based on the severity of asthma symptoms and the degree of airway obstruction. Signs of mild, moderate or severe asthma attacks are described below.
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