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Asthma

Contracting/Getting Asthma

03/02/2001

Question:

How do you get asthma?

Answer:

It is not known how you get asthma. It is known that asthma is a genetic disease influenced by environmental factors. There are certain risk factors for developing asthma such as family history, being allergic to seasonal and year round allergens (ie. dust mites and cockroaches...), respiratory infection before the age of two (bronchiolitis). There are many other risk factors that have been speculated but still not proven. If you have asthma it is important to determine what triggers cause it so they can be avoided. Also proper treatment includes anti-inflammatory medications (ie. inhaled corticosteroids, anti-leukotriene modifying agents). You should see an allergist for further evaluation and refer to stopallergy.com for information on environmental factors.

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Response by:

Jonathan Bernstein, MD Jonathan Bernstein, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati