Asthma Pathophysiology

Asthma is the chronic disease which involves inflammation of the pulmonary airways and bronchial hyper responsiveness. The asthma pathophysiology shows that an inflammation in the airway is an important part of the pathology of asthma. The underlying process driving and maintaining the asthmatic inflammatory process.

The stimuli activate the release of inflammatory mediators from mast cells, macrophages, eosinophils and other cells in the airways. The bronchi and bronchioles are tubes through in which air must pass to reach the alveoli and it will be absorbed into the blood. The two main branches of the bronchi split so that each reaches a lung.

In the airway inflammation contains the cells such as mast cells, eosinophils, epithelial cells, macrophages and activated T lymphocytes. The mucosa which contains the inflammation and thickening of airway. This can increase in the amount of mucus secretion and the contraction of the airways in the body. The inflamed airways become small and blocked.

The epithelial layer of cells in asthmatic subjects is often inflamed and damaged. The contraction of airway smooth muscle is regulated by Ca2+ dependent and Ca2+ independent mechanisms. The inflammatory mediators released from inflammatory cells such as histamine and cysteinyl-leukotrienes.