A risk factor is something that raises the chances of getting a health problem. A person can get asthma with or without the risks below. The more risks as person has, the greater the chances are.
Things that can raise the risk are:
- Having family members with asthma
- Having allergies, especially to:
- Pollen
- Animal dander
- Mites
- Molds
- Dust and dust mites
- Some foods or food additives
- Health conditions, such as:
- Allergic rhinitis
- Respiratory infections in childhood, especially bronchiolitis
- Premature delivery
- Overweight or obesity
- Mental health problems
- Hormonal changes, including pregnancy
- Working in farming, painting, and cleaning
- Smoking, smoking when pregnant—or being around secondhand smoke
- Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs—in some people
- Exercise
References
Acute asthma exacerbation in children. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/acute-asthma-exacerbation-in-children. Accessed May 9, 2022.
Asthma exacerbation in adults and adolescents. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/asthma-exacerbation-in-adults-and-adolescents. Accessed May 9, 2022.
Asthma in adults and adolescents. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/asthma-in-adults-and-adolescents. Accessed May 9, 2022.
Chronic asthma in children. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/chronic-asthma-in-children. Accessed May 9, 2022.
2022 Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) global strategy for asthma management and prevention. Available at: https://ginasthma.org/gina-reports. Accessed May 9, 2022.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board Daniel A. Ostrovsky, MD
- Update Date: 05/09/2022