The Sheldon Short Guide to Asthma

Asthma affects 1.1 million children (1 in 11) and 4.3 million adults (1 in 12) in the UK – that’s one in five households. Fortunately, effective modern drugs mean that deaths from asthma are less rare than they used to be, especially in view of the millions of people who suffer from the disease in the UK. Nevertheless, one person dies from asthma in the UK every seven hours – and most are adults. Adults also account for 58 per cent of hospital admissions for asthma. The UK still has some of the highest asthma rates in Europe, yet, asthma in adults rarely gets the attention it deserves. This book aims to redress the balance. Topics include:


What is asthma?

Types of asthma

Common asthma triggers

Occupational asthma

Diagnosing asthma in adults

Treating asthma in adults

Coping with asthma: beyond drugs