Pathophysiology, diagnosis, and clinical assessment of asthma in the adult.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder that is characterized by 3 distinct responses in the airways: inflammation, hyperresponsiveness, and remodeling. Clinical diagnosis of asthma is often based on the presence of symptoms, such as cough, wheeze, breathlessness, and chest tightness; but the presence of these symptoms is not exclusive to asthma, and clinical correlation with spirometry and other diagnostic testing is essential. Once a diagnosis of asthma is established, the focus of care should be toward control of the disease. This article discusses the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and clinical assessment of asthma in the adult patient population.