Adult-onset asthma is when asthma symptoms appear and are diagnosed in patients who are older than 20 years. Often it is caused by environmental triggers that cause reaction of the airways – a type of asthma called occupational asthma.  These symptoms can appear suddenly and the attacks are mostly unpredictable. Even if early warning signs emerge, they are usually indistinguishable.

People who have allergies to cats or to certain environmental irritants such as tobacco smoke, molds and dust, are vulnerable to the development of adult-onset asthma. Also susceptible to asthma are people who have had viruses or sinusitis infections, people with obesity, women undergoing hormonal changes, especially during pregnancy and menopause, and women who are on estrogen pills after menopause.

Adult-onset asthma is diagnosed by considering the medical history of allergies or illnesses, asking about symptoms experienced, and examining breathing activity. Tests are taken including spirometry, to measure the breathing capacity, Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF), to measure the force of ear that is breathed out and chest X-ray.

Although asthma can be controlled by the means of prescribed medications, it cannot be fully cured. Two common types of asthma medications include anti-inflammatories, to reduce the swelling and mucus production in the airways, usually in the form of oral steroids or inhalers, and bronchodilators, that relax the muscles around airways to open them and improve breathing.