Adult Onset Asthma

take care of yourself

  • Olga Wolfgramm sets a great example for other people with asthma. She maintains a smokefree home, eats a well balanced diet and walks instead of using the car. She attends aerobics, yoga, and enjoys days at the beach and park.
  • Olga says "I know you can't cure asthma, but it can be managed. It is an illness you can live with and still have a good life. Asthma is no longer something I hide behind and it does not stop me achieving other things in life. I have learned to confront it and make sure I keep up to date with medication and help."

developing asthma later in life

Adult onset asthma generally refers to the onset of asthma for the first time in someone of middle age or older. The usual symptoms of asthma are generally present - varying degrees of breathlessness, wheeze and productive cough. However, there are some features that make adult onset asthma different to that seen in the younger age group.

What causes adult onset asthma?

The real cause of asthma remains uncertain. We do not understand why symptoms develop at a certain age; or why they might disappear. For some people, adult onset asthma may be due to the recurrence of childhood asthma, illness, 'recurrent bronchitis' or 'wheezy bronchitis'.

Smoking does not cause adult onset asthma, although it can trigger an attack. Tobacco smoking causes Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which has similar symptoms of breathlessness, cough and sometimes wheeze. Doctors cannot always be precise about whether has a smoking-related illness or adult onset asthma.

Could it be something else?

Sometimes other illnesses seen in adults can be hard to separate from adult onset asthma. Certain forms of heart disease which cause fluid retention, breathing and wheezing may seem like adult onset asthma. Other illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis and related conditions, can cause a form of inflammation called bronchiolitis.

Will it ever go away?

In contrast to childhood asthma, adult onset asthma is more commonly persistent and permanent. Medications are often needed continuously to help keep adult onset asthma under control.

One of the difficulties in adult life is that lung function tends to fall after middle age. Certain conditions such as smoking or asthma may be associated with a faster rate of deterioration of lung function. If asthma is under-treated in adult life, there is a risk that lung function may deteriorate more quickly and never recover. In some cases it is best to use regular medication in order to protect lung function all the time, rather that risk permanent deterioration.

Is the treatment different to childhood asthma?

The main principles are similar. The key issue is to maintain best lung function at all time. Because adult onset asthma more often causes persistent symptoms, preventive medication is more commonly prescribed. This is particularly to prevent permanent impairment of lung capacity.