A respiratory condition characterized by difficulty breathing due to inflammation and narrowing of the airways.
From Greek 'asthma' meaning panting or short-drawn breath, derived from 'azein' meaning to breathe hard. The term was used by ancient Greek physicians including Hippocrates.
Ancient Greeks recognized asthma over 2,000 years ago, describing it with the same word we use today. Interestingly, the condition affects about 300 million people worldwide, yet its Greek name literally just means 'panting' - sometimes the simplest descriptions are the most enduring.
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