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Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. It is defined by the American Thoracic Society as a disorder with the following characteristics, not all of which need be present to assign the diagnosis of asthma 

• Airway Obstruction -  A blockage of an airway that is generally reversible either on its own or with treatment

• Airway Inflammation - Swelling of the airways which can reduce the amount of air flowing to and from the lungs

•   Airway Hyper-responsibility – An exaggerated narrowing of the airways which limits airflow in response to a wide variety of stimuli, including allergens/asthmagens, environmental irritants, viral infection, or exercise

Click here to enlarge picture. (72 KB - PDF)

Printed with permission from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.  Copyright American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, all rights reserved.

More information is available in our state plan.  Click on the link below to view the What is Asthma chapter.

Click here for What is Asthma - State Plan (507 KB - MS Word)

Asthma can range from being an intermittent nuisance triggered by specific factors, such as allergen exposure or exercise, to being a severe, progressive, and occasionally fatal disease without apparent external cause. This diversity has led to a growing appreciation that asthma, as currently defined, probably is not a specific disease, but a syndrome with multiple causes leading to reversible airway obstruction.

Other Resources:

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)

AAFA Washington Chapter

National American Lung Association

Allergy and Asthma Network - Mother of Asthmatics

External Links:

Washington Asthma Initiative

Centers for Disease Control - Asthma

Environmental Protection Agency

National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health

Internal Links:

Washington State Asthma Plan

Washington State Burden of Asthma Report

Asthma Fact Sheet

Related Links:

Tobacco Prevention and Control

Other CFH Programs

Environmental Health Programs