What is a characteristic of asthma as a disease?

Asthma is characterized as a chronic inflammatory airway disease, which reflects its underlying pathophysiology. This means that in individuals with asthma, the airways are persistently inflamed, leading to various symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. This chronic inflammation can result in airway hyper-responsiveness, where the airways become overly sensitive to triggers like allergens, respiratory infections, or environmental irritants.

Understanding asthma as a chronic condition is crucial for effective management, as it implies the need for long-term treatment strategies to control inflammation and prevent exacerbations. This characteristic helps guide healthcare providers in developing comprehensive treatment plans for patients, including the use of inhaled corticosteroids to reduce inflammation and bronchodilators for symptom relief.

The other choices do not accurately reflect the nature of asthma. It is not contagious, it can affect individuals of all ages (not just children), and there are well-established treatments available for managing the disease.