CHRIS WINSLOW, MD: Well, it's not really clear exactly what causes asthma. It is known that it is a genetic disease. Asthma tends to be transmitted in families and among family members. There's a likelihood to inherit the propensity to develop asthma, but likely it's that plus exposure to things in your environment which may be what actually bring the disorder to develop.
VAREN BLACK: Is it true that asthma has become more common in recent years, and if so, why?
CHRIS WINSLOW, MD: That is true, and it is something that people are intensely studying right now. Asthma is a disease of urbanization, and I think as we spend more time in closed environments and as we tend to live more in cities, we're finding that asthma is more prevalent.
VAREN BLACK: What about having infections as children? I guess you develop problems as you get older?
CHRIS WINSLOW, MD: There is some evidence to suggest that infections at particularly sensitive times in a child's life or in a child who has a predisposition for asthma may increase the likelihood that they will develop asthma symptoms later on.
VAREN BLACK: Any special vaccines out there to prevent asthma?
CHRIS WINSLOW, MD: No, there really aren't. This is a disorder that the cause of which is really unknown, so there are no vaccines that can prevent you from developing asthma.
VAREN BLACK: How do doctors figure out what triggers asthma attacks in a particular patient?
