By Alexandra Thompson Senior Health Reporter For Mailonline
Published: 16:24 GMT, 14 February 2019 | Updated: 16:25 GMT, 14 February 2019
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A sticker (pictured) asthmatics wear on their skin could warn when an attack is looming
A sticker asthmatics wear on their skin could warn when an attack is looming, research suggests.
When worn on the abdomen, sensors in the sticker measure the strain being put on a user's rib cage.
Asthma attacks occur when the muscles around the airways tighten, leading to difficulty breathing, wheezing and coughing.
Although still being developed, the researchers believe the sensors could connect to a user's smartphone, urging them to seek help.
The research was carried out by the University of California, Irvine, and led by Michelle Khine, a professor of biomedical engineering.
Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) are common types of chronic respiratory disease.
COPD defines a group of lung disorders that cause breathing to become increasingly difficult and affect everyday life.
Together, the two disorders affect more than 435million people worldwide, the researchers wrote in the journal Nature