Oz Healthcare Communications | World Asthma Day 2013 | What... Asthma? | +27 11 465 5342 What is Asthma?

Oz Healthcare Communications | World Asthma Day 2013 | What is
Asthma? | +27 11 465 5342
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by recurrent breathing problems and symptoms such as
breathlessness, wheezing, chest tightness, and coughing. During normal breathing, air flows freely into and out of
the lungs. But when asthma is not under control, the airways of the lungs are thick, swollen, and inflamed. The
airways become overly sensitive to environmental changes, and an asthma attack can happen easily. During an
asthma attack, the lining of the airways swells, muscles around the airways tighten, and mucus clogs the tiny airways
in the lungs, making breathing difficult.
Asthma symptoms vary from hour to hour, from day to day, from week to week, and over months. They are often
worse at night and in the early hours of the morning. The severity of asthma also varies from individual to individual.
Although asthma cannot be cured, it can be effectively treated. Research shows that with proper treatment, nearly all
asthma patients can achieve and maintain complete clinical control, enabling them to participate in school, work, and
other normal activities and prevent visits to the emergency department and hospital.
What is Asthma control and how is it achieved?
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Asthma control means that a person with asthma has:
No (or minimal i.e. twice or less/week) asthma symptoms
No waking at night due to asthma
No (or minimal i.e. twice or less/week) need to use quick-relief medication. If a person with asthma has to
use his/her RELIEVER more than twice a week his/her asthma is not under control and they should go back
to their doctor to have their treatment reassessed and adjusted!
The ability to do normal physical activity and exercise
Normal (or near-normal) lung function test results (PEF and FEV1)
No (or very infrequent) asthma attacks
The goal of asthma treatment is to achieve and maintain control of the disease. In order to achieve control, people
need access to effective anti-asthma medications, as well as education to understand how to take their medicines,
how to avoid risk factors or “triggers” that make their asthma worse, and what to do if their symptoms do worsen.
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About Asthma Medication:
Most people with asthma need two types of medications:
1. Controller medications (especially anti-inflammatory agents such as inhaled glucocorticosteroids) that are
taken every day over the long term to keep symptoms and attacks from starting,
2. Reliever medications (rapid-acting bronchodilators) that must be kept on hand at all times to treat attacks or
provide quick relief of symptoms.
Important issues:
An estimated 300 million people worldwide now have asthma according to the Global Burden of Asthma Report, a
compilation of published data on the prevalence and impact of asthma around the world. Asthma affects people of all
ethnic groups, socioeconomic levels, and ages. However, asthma often develops during childhood. Indeed, asthma
is the chronic disease most commonly causing absence from school.
The Global Burden of Asthma Report, which was released by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) on World
Asthma Day 2004, also documents that many asthma patients around the world have unmet needs related to their
illness that lead to poor asthma control. In some areas, (as is the case in South Africa), asthma is underdiagnosed
and many people with asthma symptoms do not realise they have the disease. Furthermore, inadequate knowledge
and widespread misconceptions about asthma and its treatment result in improper management of the disease.
Sometimes, cost limits patients’ access to asthma medications and often asthma is undertreated or care falls short of
that recommended by GINA and other evidence-based guidelines.
The Report, which is available from www.ginasthma.org, also documents that the prevalence of asthma is increasing
throughout the world, especially as communities adopt Western lifestyles and become urbanized. It is estimated that
there may be an additional 100 million persons with asthma by 2025.
One of the most serious indicators of lack of asthma control is hospitalisation. Asthma-related hospitalisations pose a
heavy social and economic burden, and are an indication that asthma treatment has failed and needs to be
improved. The vast majority of emergency visits caused by asthma could be avoided if patients knew how to use
medication when their symptoms increase.
What causes Asthma?
The causes of asthma are not well understood, and the rapid increase in asthma prevalence around the world is one
of the biggest mysteries in modern medicine. Many scientists are examining the role of genetic factors in causing
asthma, and researchers are also looking at how the immune system develops in early life.
The causes of Asthma attacks, however, are better understood. People with asthma have chronic inflammation
in their lungs, and airways that narrow more easily than those of people without asthma in response to a variety of
factors. The factors that can set off an asthma attack (sometimes called “triggers”) include inhaled allergens (such as
dust mites, pollen, and cat and dog allergens), tobacco smoke, air pollution, exercise, strong emotional expressions
(such as crying or laughing hard), chemical irritants, and certain drugs (aspirin and beta-blockers). Each person with
asthma reacts to a different set of factors, and identification of these factors and how to avoid them is a major step for
each individual in learning how to control their disease.
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Oz Healthcare Communications | World Asthma Day 2013 | What is
Asthma? | +27 11 465 5342
How is Asthma diagnosed?
A careful medical history, a physical examination, and tests of lung function provide the information needed to
diagnose asthma. Measurement of lung function is useful both for diagnosis of asthma and to monitor the course of
the disease and the level of control. Such tests include spirometry, which provides an assessment of airflow
limitation, and peak flow, which measures the maximum speed at which air can flow out of the lungs. Spirometry is
performed in a health care professional’s office, while peak flow can be tested with portable, plastic peak flow meters
ideal for use in home and work settings. Peak flow monitoring provides most patients, together with their health care
providers, an effective method to monitor their disease and evaluate their response to therapy.
How can I learn more?
More details about asthma and an effective, evidence-based asthma management program can be found in the GINA
documents available at www.ginasthma.org or by contacting the National Asthma Education Programme (NAEP).
The National Asthma Education Programme (NAEP) is a non-profit organisation that aims to disseminate impartial information
about asthma diagnosis and treatment to health professionals and the South African public. It also runs courses, workshops,
and meetings for the public and professionals. NAEP (The National Asthma Education Programme) was first launched in 1989
by Key Opinion Leaders in South Africa and is part of an international organisation/drive which subscribes to guidelines set out
by GINA (Global Initiative for Asthma), SATS (South African Thoracic Society) and ALLSA (Allergy Society of Asthma.
Membership to the public is free of charge and can be accessed by contacting the NAEP or registering on their website:
Website:
Tel:
Email:
www.asthma.co.za
0861 asthma (278462)
naepr@netactive.co.za
The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) was launched in 1993 to work with healthcare professionals and public health officials
around the world to reduce the burden of asthma. For further information go to www.ginasthma.com
For media information, or to arrange an interview with medical specialists and
patients, please contact Oz Healthcare Communications on
+27 11 465 5342, fax us on +27 11 465 2057 or call or email:
Name:
Lynne Zurnamer
Ilze Rabie
Keegan Hall
Cell:
+27 82 448 3868
+27 82 453 9737
+27836606478
Email:
lynne@oz.co.za
pa@oz.co.za
health@oz.co.za
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