| About 20 million - or one in four - Americans | | | | "Asthma episodes are responsible for eight |
| have asthma that causes 5,000 deaths each | | | | million school days lost each year; 24 |
| year. The disease strikes nine million | | | | million days of restricted activity for both |
| children under 18 and is responsible for 44 | | | | children and adults; and 12 million bed rest |
| percent of hospitalizations in that age | | | | days," said Dr. Robert B. Mellins, professor |
| group. | | | | of pediatrics, in "The Columbia University |
| | | | College of Physicians and Surgeons Complete |
| "Every day in America, 40,000 people miss | | | | Home Medical Guide." |
| school or work, 30,000 people have an asthma | | | | |
| attack, 5, 000 people visit the emergency | | | | "About half of all chronic sickness in |
| room, 1,000 people are admitted to the | | | | childhood is due to asthma, which accounts |
| hospital and 11 people die due to asthma," | | | | for more days lost from school than any other |
| according to the American Academy of Allergy | | | | illness. One child in every 40 has the |
| Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). | | | | disease, boys more often than girls. However, |
| | | | asthma can and often does have its onset in |
| Statistics show that the prevalence of asthma | | | | or persists into adult life. I have several |
| has increased 75 percent from 1980 - 1994. On | | | | patients who, without any previous history of |
| the other hand, asthma rates in children | | | | lung problems, suddenly become asthmatic in |
| under the age of five have increased over 160 | | | | their 70s," added Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld of |
| percent in the same period. The sad part | | | | the New York Hospital - Cornell Medical |
| about all of this is that asthma is | | | | Center in "Modern Prevention: The New |
| preventable and rarely fatal if treated. | | | | Medicine." |
| | | | |
| "In 2004, there were 13.6 million physician | | | | What happens during an asthma attack? Simply |
| office visits and 1 million outpatient | | | | explained, air passages (bronchi and |
| department visits due to asthma. Asthma | | | | bronchioles) become narrow and swell, |
| accounts for one-quarter of all emergency | | | | affecting the way air travels to the lungs. |
| room visits in the United States each year | | | | This causes the whistling sound and shortness |
| with 2 million emergency room visits in | | | | of breath common in asthmatics. Coughing is |
| 2001," the AAAI added. | | | | the result of excessive mucus production |
| | | | which clogs the breathing tubes. |
| Asthma is a disease that affects all ages but | | | | |
| it appears to be more common in men than | | | | "When an asthma attack starts, the muscle |
| women and affects more boys than girls in | | | | layer contracts causing the narrowing of the |
| children. Most children who develop the | | | | airways. As a consequence, it is more |
| disease beÂfore the age of five tend to | | | | difficult for air to flow in and out so that |
| outgrow the problem. Others, however, aren't | | | | breathing becomes harder and more prolonged," |
| so lucky. | | | | said experts of the Asthma Foundation of the |
| | | | Philippines. (Next: Types of asthma. |