Fast facts About Asthma

1. Asthma afflicts 12 to 15 million Americans.

2. In the U.S., asthma cases doubled between 1980 and 1996.

3. Different things in different people trigger asthma attacks. Asthma can be triggered by everything from cigarette smoke, airborne mold, pollens, dust, and animal dander to exercise, cold air, household and industrial products, air pollutants, scents, and simple stress.

4. African-Americans are more likely to have asthma than white Americans. In 1995 the prevalence of asthma was about 11% higher in African-Americans. Their death rate was about three times higher.

5. Most people with asthma use a variety of medications to control their disease, and not all asthmatics require the same treatment. Learn more about these medications at YourLungHealth.org.

6. Many people first have signs of the disease in childhood, but it's important to note asthma can occur for the first time at any age.

7. The prevalence of asthma is higher in children than adults.

8. Women are more likely to have asthma than men, but among children, boys are more likely than girls to have the disease.

9. The number of Americans with asthma is projected to nearly double by 2020, to 29 million people.