Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that affects more than 250 million people worldwide. It represents a high disease burden due to increased premature mortality and reduced quality of life. The overall prevalence of asthma is 9.1% for children between 6 and 7 years of age, 11.0% for adolescents between 13 and 14 years of age, and 6.6% for adults worldwide. In the European Union, 6% of people self-report asthma. In Slovenia, the estimated prevalence of asthma for children between 7 and 8 years of age was 13,9% in 2001. The most important asthma risk factors stemming from the outdoor environment are outdoor air pollution, living near a road with high traffic density, pollen and farm animals. The most important asthma risk factors stemming from the indoor environment are tobacco smoke, air humidity and mold, recurring respiratory diseases, apartment renovation, the use of an inadequately cleaned and maintained heating, ventilation and cooling system, cleaning agents, pets and the use of a gas stove. Despite advances in asthma treatment, it is important to control and eliminate environmental risk factors that contribute to the worsening of asthma symptoms. It is crucial for patients and their family
members to understand the importance of avoiding environmental risk factors.
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