More African Americans than whites have asthma, and inequalities in asthma care can make the situation worse by increasing the risk of more severe illness.  But by knowing how asthma affects you and what kind of care you need to stay healthy, you can take control. The information here is designed to help you do just that.

Asthma 101 What is Asthma? Asthma is an inflammatory condition of the bronchial airways, which are the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. This inflammation causes the normal function of the airways to become excessive and over-reactive, thus producing increased mucus, mucosal swelling and muscle contraction. These changes produce airway obstruction, chest tightness, coughing and wheezing. If severe this can cause severe shortness of breath and low blood oxygen.  Read more...