Like other parts of the globe, World Asthma Day was observed in Pakistan on Tuesday to raise awareness, care and support for those affected by the disease. Various activities have been planned to mark the day by medical and educational institutions, hospitals and governmental and non-governmental organisations with focus on supporting the person with asthma and support to family, friends and caregivers.
According to the latest WHO estimates, there were 383,000 deaths due to asthma in 2015. Most asthma-related deaths occur in low and lower-middle income countries, it added. It said some 235 million people currently suffered from asthma while it was a common disease among children.
Public health expert Dr Wasim Khawaja from Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) said asthma was one of the major non-communicable diseases. It was a chronic disease of the air passages of the lungs which inflames and narrows them. He said that the strongest risk factors for developing asthma were inhaled substances and particles that might provoke allergic reactions or irritate the airways.
He said medication could control asthma and avoiding asthma triggers could also reduce its severity. An appropriate management of asthma could enable people to enjoy a good quality of life. He said the disease was characterised by recurrent attacks of breathlessness and wheezing, which varied in severity and frequency from person to person.
Dr Khawaja said that symptoms might occur several times in a day or week in affected individuals, and for some people became worse during physical activity or at night. He said that during an asthma attack, the lining of the bronchial tubes swelled, causing the airways to narrow and reducing the flow of air into and out of the lungs.
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