History

• Doctors in ancient Greece first used the term "asthma" to describe patients who were breathless or gasping for air. Asthma was attributed to internal imbalances that could be treated with improved diet and healthy lifestyle changes.
  
  

Classification

• Asthma is classified based on the frequency of attacks and the results of pulmonary tests. Fewer than two attacks a week is considered intermittent asthma; two or more is considered mild; and daily or continuous attacks is considered severe.
  
  

Inheritance

• According to MedicineNet, a person has a 6 percent chance of developing asthma if neither parent has the disease. There is a 30 percent chance if one parent is asthmatic and a 70 percent chance if both parents suffer from the disease.
  
  

Myths

• Two common myths are that one can grow out of asthma and that it is contagious. Both of these statements are false.
  
  

Triggers

• According to MedicineNet, 50 percent of adults and 80 percent of children suffering from asthma also have allergies. Non-allergen asthma triggers include exercise, tobacco smoke, respiratory infections, some medications and emotional factors, including laughing, crying and stress.