Disorders of the upper, middle, and lower airways

all add to the complexity of severe asthma management. Pulmonary and upper airway disorders may present alternative diagnoses to asthma or may co-exist with asthma.

Is asthma an upper or lower airway disease?

Asthma is a chronic, inflammatory condition of the lower airways characterized by largely reversible airflow obstruction, airway hyperresponsiveness, and episodic respiratory symptoms, including wheezing, productive cough, and the sensations of breathlessness and chest tightness [1].

What part of the airway Does asthma affect?

Asthma affects the airways, which begin just below the throat as a single tube called the trachea.