World Asthma Day – May 7, 2024

History of World Asthma Day

Asthma is a common concern, and according to WHO, 262 million people had asthma in 2019, and it caused over 460,000 deaths. The death rate from asthma has nearly doubled since the 1980s, but the condition is not new. There is mention of asthma in scriptures from China in 2600 B.C., and Ancient Egypt also mentions the symptoms of breathlessness and respiratory issues.

Hippocrates (460 to 370 B.C) was the first to describe the condition found in Ancient Greece. Hippocrates was the first to link asthma symptoms to environmental triggers and specific trades and professions. Around 100 B.C. Aretaeus of Cappadocia composed a detailed definition of asthma. It is similar to how we today understand the development of the disease. The ancient Romans also explored the condition. In 50 A.D., Pliny the Elder discovered links between pollen and breathing difficulties. He was one of the first to recommend a predecessor of epinephrine, a quick-relief form of asthma treatment.

In the 19th century, doctor Henry H. Salter made accurate descriptions and medical drawings of what happens in the lungs during asthma attacks. In 1892, one of the co-founders of the Johns Hopkins Medical School, William Osler, noted similarities between asthma and allergic conditions. These include hay fever, as well as the genetic nature of the disease. He also noted specific triggers of asthma such as climate, extreme emotion, and diet. The 1980s saw better comprehension of asthma as an inflammatory condition. It focused on the importance of the immune system. Doctors realized the need to manage asthma even if the symptoms do not occur.