What type of lung disease includes asthma as part of its classification?

Asthma is classified under obstructive lung disease because it is characterized by an obstruction of airflow due to inflammation, bronchoconstriction, and excessive mucus production in the airways. This obstructive pattern means that patients have difficulty exhaling air from the lungs, resulting in increased airway resistance.

In obstructive lung diseases, the primary issue is the narrowing or blockage of air passages, which can lead to symptoms like wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. Asthma specifically involves episodes of reversible airway obstruction, which occurs during an asthma attack when triggers such as allergens, exercise, or changes in weather can provoke an inflammatory response.

Restrictive lung diseases, on the other hand, involve a reduction in lung volume and are associated with conditions that cause stiffness in the lungs or the chest wall, affecting the ability to expand the lungs fully. Interstitial lung disease refers to a group of disorders that lead to progressive scarring of lung tissue, while occupational lung disease is related to lung damage resulting from exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace. None of these categories include asthma, thus making obstructive lung disease the correct classification for this condition.