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Q&A: What Asthma is ?

Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by inflammation of the lower airways. This inflammation drives to airflow obstruction. 

The correct and complete name is Bronchial Asthma. 

Asthma is also defined as a wheezing disease because wheezing is the most important symptom. 
Besides, another important feature of this health problem is its presentation like recurrent episodes, that means, patient has time free of asthma symptoms (no airway obstruction) and suddenly, he/she starts an asthma symptom (correlated with airflow obstruction).
This variability in airflow is a capital sign in asthma and it can be demonstrated with medical technics such as spirometry. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that a little percent of patients with asthma present symptoms all the time.

So asthma is a ...

• chronic disease
• inflammatory disease
• wheezing disease
• recurrent episodes disease (ussually)
• variable airflow obstruction disease
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