What is allergic asthma?

Asthma affects over 25 million people in the US. Allergic asthma is the most common type of this condition and is triggered by allergens. Chandler D. Patton, MD, discusses common symptoms of allergic asthma and what makes it different.

Transcript

00:00

Asthma is a chronic condition that affects over 25 million people in the United States alone. [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:07

NARRATOR: Around 60% to 70% of all cases are a type of asthma called allergic asthma.

00:13

Asthma can be confusing because there are several types. Understanding your asthma type is important for you and your doctor,

00:20

because effective treatment may need to be tailored to your individual circumstances. So what is allergic asthma?

00:26

And how is it different? To discover the answer, we need to look deep inside the lungs. During an asthma attack, the lung airways

00:34

become constricted. They tighten and reduce the movement of air. Breathing is difficult.

00:40

Even deeper inside, the tiny airways can fill with mucus, further blocking airflow. Why is this happening?

00:47

The simple answer is an allergic response. In all types of asthma, inflammation is occurring because the immune system is stimulated and is

00:56

overreacting. In allergic asthma, there is a response to something in the air you are allergic to.

01:02

This something is called an allergen. Common allergens include pollen, dust mites, pet dander,

01:10

and roaches. When your immune system mistakes and allergen for a dangerous invader, these normally harmless substances

01:17

act as triggers to stimulate an overreacted response. Over time, a person's allergic response to airborne allergens

01:24

can grow into more and more severe episodes of airway inflammation. We now believe that the reason there

01:30

are different kinds of asthma is because the immune system reacts in different ways. Not everyone with asthma has an allergic sensitivity,

01:38

so their asthma would be called non-allergic asthma. Still, allergic asthma is the most common type.

01:44

People are different in their sensitivities to different allergens. Some of these differences are strongly influenced by family genetics.

01:52

Exposure to allergens along with individual sensitivities are important factors in determining if an allergic asthma condition will develop.

02:00

In the case of allergic asthma, and really any type of allergy, the allergic response is caused by the presence

02:06

of something called IgE. IgE is an antibody. IgE antibodies are proteins the immune system produces when it

02:14

recognizes specific allergens. In allergic asthma, your immune system overreacts and produces IgE antibodies that

02:22

lead to airway inflammation. As time passes, the allergic response can get stronger, and may cause permanent damage to the airways.

02:30

An understanding of the immune factors that cause allergic asthma, such as IgE, helps us make informed treatment decisions.

02:38

If you have allergic asthma and are finding it difficult to control, talk with your doctor. For many people, effective treatments are available.