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Medicine vocabulary · Diseases by System

Asthma

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/ˈæzmə/nounCommon term

In medicine, asthma means: A long-term lung condition in which the airways become narrow and inflamed, causing wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath that can come and go.

In Turkish: astım

How it is used

Patients 'have asthma' and use inhalers; doctors discuss triggers, asthma control and asthma attacks (exacerbations). 'Asthmatic' describes a person with asthma, though 'person with asthma' is often preferred.

Example sentences

  1. Her asthma gets worse in spring because of pollen.

  2. He came in with an acute asthma attack and could only speak in short phrases.

Common collocations

  • asthma attack
  • well-controlled asthma
  • asthma inhaler
  • childhood asthma
  • COPDShort for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a long-term lung disease, usually caused by smoking, in which damaged airways make it hard to breathe out.
  • shortness of breathA feeling that you cannot get enough air or have to work hard to breathe; the medical word is dyspnea (UK: dyspnoea).
  • chronicLasting a long time, usually more than three months, or coming back again and again; used for diseases that are controlled rather than cured.
  • oxygen saturationThe percentage of hemoglobin in the blood that is carrying oxygen, usually measured with a clip on the finger; in healthy adults it is usually 95% or higher.

More terms: Diseases by System

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.