MODEL RELEASED. Asthma attack. Elderly man holding his chest as he finds it difficult to breathe during an asthma attack. Asthma is a condition in which the small airways (bronchioles) in the lungs constrict, making it difficult to breathe. This causes wheezing, coughing and breathlessness. The man is holding an inhaler in his other hand. The inhaler is an aerosol pump that releases bronchodilator drugs that are inhaled and which widen the airways. Asthma attacks can be brought on by exercise, allergic reactions and cold weather.