Asthma in Spanish

What it means

Asthma is a chronic (long-term) lung disease that affects the airways, the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. When a person has asthma, the airways can become inflamed and narrowed. MedlinePlus lists the symptoms as chest tightness, coughing, especially at night or early morning, shortness of breath, and a whistling sound when breathing out. When these symptoms get worse than usual, it is called an asthma attack or flare-up. An attack can happen after exposure to an asthma trigger, something that can set off or worsen the symptoms. Asthma affects people of all ages, but it often starts during childhood. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says there is no cure, but treatment and an asthma action plan can help manage the condition.

Asthma in Spanish

Spanish term: Asma
Gender and article: feminine: el asma (a feminine noun written with the article el)
Pronunciation: AHS-mah

Asma is the word used by MedlinePlus en español, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the Spanish dictionary. The dictionary marks it as a feminine noun, and both health sites write it with the article el: el asma. MedlinePlus en español keeps the adjective feminine in el asma alérgica and el asma inducida por el ejercicio.

For an asthma attack, MedlinePlus en español says ataque de asma or crisis asmática. A trigger is un desencadenante, and the airways are las vías respiratorias. Its symptom list has opresión en el pecho (chest tightness), tos (coughing), problemas para respirar and sibilancia, which it explains as un silbido al exhalar, the whistling sound when breathing out. Quick-relief medicines are medicamentos de alivio rápido or medicamentos de rescate, and an inhaler is un inhalador. MedlinePlus says asthma attacks can sometimes be life-threatening and that a severe attack that short-term relief medicines do not help needs emergency care. Emergency signs need urgent care (call 911 in the U.S.).

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Patient	I have been coughing a lot at night, and my chest feels tight.	He tenido mucha tos por la noche y siento opresión en el pecho.
Clinician	Do you hear a whistling sound when you breathe out?	¿Oye un silbido al exhalar?
Patient	Yes, especially when I exercise or breathe cold air.	Sí, sobre todo cuando hago ejercicio o respiro aire frío.
Clinician	Does anyone in your family have asthma or allergies?	¿Alguien de su familia tiene asma o alergias?
Clinician	I am going to order a spirometry test to see how well your lungs work.	Voy a pedirle una espirometría para ver qué tan bien funcionan sus pulmones.
Patient	What things can trigger an asthma attack?	¿Qué cosas pueden desencadenar un ataque de asma?
Clinician	Do you carry your inhaler with you all the time?	¿Lleva su inhalador consigo todo el tiempo?
Patient	My son has asthma. Can we write an asthma action plan for him?	Mi hijo tiene asma. ¿Podemos prepararle un plan de acción para el asma?

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Asthma
Spanish (Español)	Asma
Chinese (中文)	哮喘
Korean (한국어)	천식
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Hen suyễn
Filipino (Tagalog)	Hika
Portuguese (Português)	Asma
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	โรคหืด
Japanese (日本語)	喘息

Where you'll see it

chartmedical recordreferralprescription

Related ICD-10-CM category

ICD-10-CM code: J45 → Asthma

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Lungs and breathing

All terms in this area: Lungs and breathing — Pulmones y respiración

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.