Over 22 million people living in the United States have asthma, a chronic lifelong disease that affects the lungs. Asthma can cause wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. Although asthma cannot be cured, it is possible to manage asthma to reduce and prevent asthma attacks, also called episodes.
In the United States, approximately half of people with asthma had at least one asthma attack in 2012. More children (55%) than adults (49%) had an attack. Asthma attacks cause adults to miss work and children to miss school. These dangerous and sometimes life-threatening episodes reduce the quality of life for people with asthma. The good news is that we can raise awareness about asthma and how it can be controlled.
People with asthma can prevent asthma attacks if they learn how to avoid asthma triggers like tobacco smoke, mold, outdoor air pollution, and colds and flu. Asthma episodes can also be prevented by using inhaled corticosteroids and other prescribed daily long-term control medicines correctly.
It’s time to get asthma under control. Tips for successful asthma management:
- Know the warning signs of an attack.
- Avoid things that may trigger an attack.
- Follow the advice of your healthcare provider.
- Create a personal asthma management plan.
- Use your asthma medicine as prescribed.
Using what you know about managing your asthma can give you control over this chronic disease. Control your asthma, so you can breathe easier, be as active as you would like, sleep well and stay out of the hospital.
To learn more about how you can control your asthma, visit CDC’s asthma site.
