The environmental impact on the development of asthma

During recent years, it is noted a great increase in asthma cases worldwide due to environmental contamination, according to the scientific community. Asthma is a chronic disease of the respiratory system with a key point the shortness of breath due to a temporary airway stenosis. Its main characteristics are: an increasingly assuming epidemic dimensions disease, its chronicity and unidentified pathogenesis. Furthermore, it is a multifactor disease and it is always first on the subjects list of every scientific meeting. People of all ages and origins suffer from this chronic disease which can set great limits to their daily life or even be sometimes fatal, if it is not kept under control. Purpose: Show the environmental impact on the appearance and development of asthma. Review (Methodology): Bibliography review is recently Greek and international and information was retrieved from Pub med and TRIP databases. Results - Conclusions: Air pollution and the effect of western lifestyle contribute to the increase of asthma prevalence in developed countries. Data from several studies argue that changing nutritional habits, reducing physical activity and coping with daily stress in today’s fast-paced, changing world affect directly the development of asthma. By assuming new dimensions in world climate changes, increasing sensitization in allergens, using respiratory irritants, such as pesticides and compounds and chemicals of industrial origin, and at the same time the poor indoor air quality and family history of asthma lead to new asthma cases worldwide. Moreover, the minimization of the symptoms and the control of the disease offer the opportunity for the patient to a better quality of life. Finally, by understanding better the environmental factors which trigger the development of asthma and by explaining the involved gene action, they will be delivered more effective prevention and treatment programs.

Keywords: Asthma, environmental factors, allergens, asthma management