The novel Genome written by Matt Ridley demonstrates many genetic disease and disorders as the novel progresses. Ridley, illustrates Asthma on page 66-67 and in Chapter 5, which is named Chromosome 5. Asthma, although not specially related one chromosome, has traces to many chromosomes throughout the body. Asthma affects more than 26 million Americans throughout the country, 18.9 million of them being adults and 7.1 million of them being children (1). Also, asthma causes around 3,500 death a year, nearly half of whom are 65 or older (1). Although asthma is not very common throughout the world and does not cause many deaths, it often causes at least 50% of those who have asthma to have some type of asthma attack before they die. Asthma has a
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One environmental factor that can be traced to cause asthma is cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke, or secondhand smoke, can cause asthma because all the chemicals in the smoke can flow into your airways causing irritation and sometimes the build of up mucus in the airways; which these 2 are leading ways asthma is causes (2). Another environmental factor that can cause asthma is when pollution in the air spikes up from time to time. Small particles of the polluted air can find their way into your lungs, airways and nose causing blockage making it more difficult to breath. When these particles reach the lungs they can pollute/build up in airways causing a symptom of asthma such as heavy breathing; and if the blockage/pollution become very bad it can sometimes cause you to have a bad asthma attack (2). A final environmental factor that can cause an asthma reaction is the use of household cleaners and paints in houses. The use of household cleaners and paints in houses can cause an asthmatic reaction/asthma attack because the chemicals in the products are linked to being able to cause asthma flare ups (2). Overall, there is a never-ending list to what environmental factors can cause asthma and that can cause asthma flare ups; but, as stated above, are the main factors that affect
One environmental factor that can be traced to cause asthma is cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke, or secondhand smoke, can cause asthma because all the chemicals in the smoke can flow into your airways causing irritation and sometimes the build of up mucus in the airways; which these 2 are leading ways asthma is causes (2). Another environmental factor that can cause asthma is when pollution in the air spikes up from time to time. Small particles of the polluted air can find their way into your lungs, airways and nose causing blockage making it more difficult to breath. When these particles reach the lungs they can pollute/build up in airways causing a symptom of asthma such as heavy breathing; and if the blockage/pollution become very bad it can sometimes cause you to have a bad asthma attack (2). A final environmental factor that can cause an asthma reaction is the use of household cleaners and paints in houses. The use of household cleaners and paints in houses can cause an asthmatic reaction/asthma attack because the chemicals in the products are linked to being able to cause asthma flare ups (2). Overall, there is a never-ending list to what environmental factors can cause asthma and that can cause asthma flare ups; but, as stated above, are the main factors that affect