Asthma Symptoms and Complications

Symptoms and Manifestations of Asthma

Asthma is characterized by the following manifestations. The common symptoms of the pulmonary disease include:

• Coughing with or without sputum
• Wheezing
• Difficulty in breathing
• Rapid and shallow breathing
• Increased respiratory rate
• Excess production of the mucus
• Barrel chest due to air trapping in the lungs
• Significant anxiety
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Hemoptysis – blood in the sputum

Complications of Asthma

The possible complications of Asthma may include the occurrence of status asthamaticus. Status asthamaticus is a life-threatening condition of prolonged bronchospasm that is not responsive to drug therapy.

Pneumothorax is another possible consequence as a result of an increase in lung pressure, which can result from the extreme difficulty involved in expiration during a prolonged Asthma attack.

Other complications like hypoxemia and acidosis may also occur and can result in overall respiratory failure.