What happens during an acute asthma attack

Lungs before an asthma attack

attack
Airways fully opened
muscle spasms

Lungs during an asthma

Airways constricted due to bronchial wall

Normal airway

Narrowed airway in asthma

attack
Lumen fully opened

Lumen diameter decreased

Non constricted walls of airways

Constricted walls of

airways
Non inflamed walls of airways

Inflamed, swollen walls of

airways
Lumen not blocked with mucus

Lumen blocked with

mucus

Healthy bronchial system

Bronchial system that is inflamed &

clogged by mucus

During an asthma attack the following changes occur in airways

of lungs.

Airways get constricted (narrower) due to tightening (spasms) of muscles

of airways.
Inflammation and swelling of the walls of airways occur, further narrowing
the constricted airways.
Clogging of airways with sticky mucus leading to near total occlusion .

Normal airways
Airways of a person
without asthma

In people without
asthma, the muscles
around the airways
are relaxed, allowing
the airways to stay
open. There is no
swelling or mucus
inside the airways.

Airways of a person with

asthma -redness and
swelling (inflammation)

Airways of a person
with asthma tightened muscles
(bronchospasm)

In people with asthma,

the inside of the airways
can get red, swollen,
and filled with mucus.

In people with
asthma, the muscles
around the airways
can spasm and
squeeze tighter. This
leaves less room for
air to pass through

The current view of asthma regards it as a complex inflammatory condition,

involving many inflammatory cells and a wide variety of chemical mediators. These
mediators act on cells of airways leading to smooth muscle contraction, mucus
hyper-secretion, and inflammation and swelling of lining of walls of airways.