RT Book, Section
A1 Barnes, Peter J.
A2 Jameson, J. Larry
A2 Fauci, Anthony S.
A2 Kasper, Dennis L.
A2 Hauser, Stephen L.
A2 Longo, Dan L.
A2 Loscalzo, Joseph
SR Print(0)
ID 1157018916
T1 Asthma
T2 Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 20e
YR 2018
FD 2018
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9781259644016
LK accesspharmacy.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1157018916
RD 2024/04/19
AB Asthma  is  a  syndrome  characterized  by  airflow  obstruction  that  varies  markedly,  both  spontaneously  and  with  treatment.  Asthmatics  harbor  a  special  type  of  inflammation  in  the  airways  that  makes  them  more  responsive  than  nonasthmatics  to  a  wide  range  of  triggers,  leading  to  excessive  narrowing  with  consequent  reduced  airflow  and  symptomatic  wheezing  and  dyspnea.  Narrowing  of  the  airways  is  usually  reversible,  but  in  some  patients  with  chronic  asthma  there  may  be  an  element  of  irreversible  airflow  obstruction.  Asthma  is  a  heterogeneous  disease  with  several  phenotypes  recognized,  but  thus  far  these  do  not  correspond  well  to  specific  pathogenic  mechanisms  (endotypes)  or  responses  to  therapy.  The  increasing  global  prevalence  of  asthma,  the  large  burden  it  now  imposes  on  patients,  and  the  high  health  care  costs  have  led  to  extensive  research  into  its  mechanisms  and  treatment.