Asthma is a respiratory condition characterized by an inflammation of the bronchial tubes that eventually constricts the passage of air. Essentially, the muscles in a person's airway begin to tense and tighten. As this narrowing takes place, a certain amount of mucus usually builds up within this same region. The two events then cause a person to have what is referred to as an asthma attack. When a person goes through attack upon attack over the years, it can affect the health of the airway and may produce other undesirable problems.
Remodeling
Remodeling is a long-term effect of asthma that often accompanies continual or repeated inflammation of the bronchial tubes. When an individual suffers from fairly severe asthma, it can affect the structural composition of the bronchial tubes, meaning that the walls will actually begin to narrow permanently. This can exacerbate the symptoms accompanying an asthma attack.
Frequency of Attacks
Another common long-term effect of asthma is that attacks become more frequent. If you think about something that is perpetually irritated for a long period of time, it will eventually become more and more susceptible to whatever irritant triggers this irritation. For someone with asthma, it may take a continually smaller pollen count to trigger a flare-up, or it won't have to be as cold to elicit an attack. The pollution level won't have to be as high. When it takes less to prompt an attack, you'll generally see an increase in frequency.
Illness
Much like the frequency of asthma attacks, a person who has dealt with asthma for a relatively long period of time may begin to experience more illnesses or sicknesses. Again, this has a lot to do with the continual inflammation and irritation to the bronchial tubes. A person becomes more prone to catching a cold, getting the flu or even developing pneumonia when the respiratory system is in a weakened state.
High Cholesterol
Long-term use of asthma medications can contribute to high cholesterol. Having high cholesterol can actually create plaque in your arteries, which could bring on other medical issues, including angina or stroke, to name only two.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis, a weakening of the bones, is another potential effect of long-term use of asthma medications. The types of medication used for asthma, which are usually corticosteroids, take a toll on a person's bones. After a while, they can become porous and more susceptible to breaks and fractures.
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