Final answer:
Asthma is the chronic inflammation of airways leading to increased airway resistance and difficulty breathing, often triggered by environmental factors. It is characterized by symptoms such as wheezing, chest tightness, and coughing.
Step-by-step explanation:
Asthma is an inflammation of the airways for at least three months a year for two consecutive years. Due to the chronic inflammation, the airways narrow, causing a increase in airway resistance.
This condition is a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory system in which the airways periodically become inflamed, leading to swelling and narrowing. The narrowing of the airways is often accompanied by excessive mucus production, which makes breathing difficult.
During an asthma attack, the muscles around the bronchioles contract, further narrowing the airways and hindering the flow of air into the lungs. The chronic nature of this disease means that individuals experience repeated episodes of wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing.
These symptoms often occur during the morning and night, and they can be triggered by various environmental factors such as allergens, air pollution, exercise, or stress.