Is bronchial asthma contagious?

Written by Wang Xiang Yu

Pulmonology

Updated on September 11, 2024

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Is bronchial asthma contagious? Bronchial asthma is not contagious; it is not an infectious disease. The exact causes of bronchial asthma are not very clear, primarily thought to be related to genetic and environmental factors. Bronchial asthma has a close relationship with genetics, meaning that if parents have asthma, their children and grandchildren might also develop bronchial asthma. The closer the familial relationship, the higher the chances of developing bronchial asthma compared to the general population. This genetic pattern can create the illusion to the general public that bronchial asthma is contagious, but it may be more closely related to genetics.

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Written by Yuan Qing

Pulmonology

51sec

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Bronchial asthma X-ray manifestations

Bronchial asthma is primarily caused by inflammation in the airways due to various inflammatory cells, leading to the narrowing and spasm of the bronchi. This impedes the effective expulsion of gases from the lungs through the bronchi, resulting in a disease characterized by symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. In patients with bronchial asthma, because of a large amount of gas remaining in the lungs, X-ray manifestations primarily include sparse lung markings, increased translucency, as well as some signs of widened intercostal spaces and lowered diaphragm. Generally, these signs are not specific and cannot be solely relied upon to diagnose or exclude bronchial asthma. It is also necessary to consider the patient's medical history and lung function tests for a comprehensive assessment.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu

Pulmonology

57sec

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Can bronchial asthma be inherited?

The etiology of asthma is still very unclear, but genetics may indeed be related to bronchial asthma to some extent. Currently, a lot of research data indicates that the incidence rate of bronchial asthma is higher among the relatives of patients than in the general population, and the closer the familial relationship, the higher the incidence rate and potentially more severe the condition could be. In layman's terms, this means that if our parents have bronchial asthma, then the likelihood of their children having bronchial asthma is higher than in the general population. However, this is not absolute; it does not mean that if a parent has bronchial asthma, their children will definitely have it. The relationship is not very certain, and the genes related to bronchial asthma are also not very clear at present. Bronchial asthma is also related to many other factors.

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Written by Yuan Qing

Pulmonology

1min 2sec

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Is oxygen inhalation useful for bronchial asthma?

Administering appropriate oxygen therapy can have certain benefits for patients with bronchial asthma. The onset of bronchial asthma is mainly due to the edema of the bronchial mucosa and the constriction of the smooth muscles outside the bronchi leading to the narrowing of the lumen. This makes it difficult for gases to pass normally through the airway into the alveoli. Patients may experience symptoms such as coughing, chest congestion, breathlessness, or wheezing, which are primarily due to the pathophysiology of bronchial asthma. Of course, providing patients with appropriate oxygen therapy during an asthma attack can be beneficial, temporarily solving the problem of hypoxia. However, it is important to understand that asthma patients are not primarily suffering from a lack of oxygen but from ventilation dysfunction, which leads to the inability to expel carbon dioxide, the waste gas, from the body. Therefore, the fundamental treatment should focus on improving airway spasms and narrowing to enhance ventilation.

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Written by Zeng Xiang Bo

Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine

39sec

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Treatment for mild bronchial asthma

For the treatment of mild bronchial asthma, the purpose of treatment is to prevent the repeated exacerbation of the condition and to prevent deterioration, as well as to control current symptoms. Regardless of whether the symptoms are present or absent, mild or severe, standardized treatment is needed for these asthma patients. The main treatments are inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting bronchodilators to control the progression of the disease and prevent acute asthma attacks. Of course, we will have an assessment of the condition, whether controlled or not, and based on the grading of the condition, different levels will require different medications for treatment.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei

Pulmonology

1min

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Do you need to take anti-inflammatory drugs for bronchial asthma?

Bronchial asthma is a very common asthmatic disease in clinical settings. There are numerous and complex factors that cause bronchial asthma. Therefore, in cases of bronchial asthma caused by bacterial infection leading to symptoms such as cough, phlegm, respiratory distress, and breathlessness, it is necessary to use appropriate anti-inflammatory drugs to alleviate these clinical discomforts. If the bronchial asthma is triggered by physical or chemical irritants, such as pollen, mites, animal dander, or harmful gases, leading to varying degrees of cough, breathlessness, respiratory distress, and chest tightness, anti-inflammatory drugs are generally not required. Instead, avoiding triggering factors and providing appropriate medication to relieve bronchial spasms can quickly control the asthma symptoms caused by bronchitis.