Asthma is a disease of the lungs that often leads to repeated episodes of wheezing, chest tightness, breathlessness, and early morning or nighttime coughing. Asthma currently affects approximately 8 percent of adults and approximately 10 percent of children in North Carolina. In 2007, 138 North Carolinians died due to asthma. While asthma impacts all North Carolinians, African Americans, Native Americans, women, the elderly, and children are among the groups most affected by asthma.

Asthma Fact Sheet
	Asthma in North Carolina Fact Sheet (PDF, 1 MB)

Find out more about asthma by reading the CDC's "Basic Facts About Asthma", which includes information about the following topics:

• What is Asthma?
• How is Asthma Diagnosed?
• What is an Asthma Attack?
• What Causes an Asthma Attack?
• How is Asthma Treated?
• Important Asthma Triggers
  • Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
  • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

You may also download a PDF version of the CDC's "Basic Facts About Asthma". (You will need the free Adobe Reader to view the file.)

• Information about Asthma in Spanish - Datos Básicos sobre el Asma
• Take the Asthma Control Test - (en Español: Prueba de Control del Asma)