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A risk factor is something that raises the chances of getting a health problem. A person can get asthma with or without the ones listed below. The chances of getting asthma are greater in people who have many.

Things that can raise the risk are:

Genetics

People who have family members with asthma may be more likely to get it themselves.

Allergies

People who have allergies have a greater chance of getting asthma. Allergens that are often linked to asthma are:

  • Pollen
  • Animal dander
  • Mites
  • Molds
  • Dust and dust mites
  • Some foods

Health Problems

Having these health problems raises the risk:

Jobs

People who have jobs in farming, painting, and cleaning are more likely to get asthma.

Smoking

Smoking, smoking when pregnant, and being around secondhand smoke raises the risk of asthma.

Medicine

Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can raise the risk of asthma in some people who also have rhinitis and sinusitis. This is called aspirin-induced asthma

REFERENCES:

Acute asthma exacerbation in children. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/acute-asthma-exacerbation-in-children. Updated August 22, 2018. Accessed October 22, 2019.

Asthma exacerbation in adults and adolescents. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/asthma-exacerbation-in-adults-and-adolescents. Updated January 29, 2019. Accessed October 22, 2019.

Asthma in adults and adolescents. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/asthma-in-adults-and-adolescents. Updated October 11, 2019. Accessed October 22, 2019.

Chronic asthma in children. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/chronic-asthma-in-children. Updated September 27, 2019. Accessed October 22, 2019.

Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) global strategy for asthma management and prevention. GINA 2018.

Last reviewed September 2019 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Daniel A. Ostrovsky, MD  Last Updated: 8/21/2020