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Asthma is the result of an allergic reaction, which affects the lungs by inflaming the linings of the bronchioles, making it harder to breathe and creating the 'wheezing' sound.

With asthma there are 3 elements to it.

1) inflammation

2)mucus plugging

3)bronchospasm

When you get an asthma attack you have to be exposed to an irritant which causes inflammation in the bronchioles. Because of this inflammation your body produces extra mucus which creates mucus plugging and then you get bronchospasm which decreases the size of the bronchioles which creates the wheezing sound when an asthmatic exhales. With this decrease in bronchioles the body is unable to exhale air in the lungs which becomes trapped. After a while the pressure can build up to a point where you can't breathe anymore and you could have a collapsed lung which could become tense and with that pressure on the heart, could go in to cardiac arrest.

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13y ago

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