Speakers at various functions held in connection with 'World Asthma Day' have stressed the need for making the environment neat and clean so as to check the spread of asthma, which is increasing at an alarming rate mainly due to pollution, smoking and unhealthy lifestyle. To mark the Day, seminars, scientific sessions, symposiums, special camps and awareness programmes were organised across the country, said a spokesman of Pakistan Chest Society while talking to Business Recorder here on Tuesday. The day was observed here like other parts of the country as well as rest of the world in a bid to create awareness among the people about the disease.
According to him, about 190,000 persons across the world die of asthma every year. Over the past decade, there has been a 40 percent rise in the number of children afflicted by the disease. Globally, between 100 and 150 million people suffer from asthma and the number is rising.
Although largely avoidable, asthma tends to occur in epidemics and affects young people. The human and economic burden associated with this condition is severe. The costs of asthma to society could be reduced to a large extent through concerted international and national action.
Talking about asthma, Professor Dr Saqib Saeed, Associate Professor in Chest Medicines Jinnah Hospital Lahore said that asthma attacks all age groups but often starts in childhood.
It is a disease characterised by recurrent attacks of breathlessness and wheezing, which vary in severity and frequency from person to person. In an Individual, they may occur from hour to hour and day to day.
Asthma is a condition that causes inflammation of and obstruction on the airway. The muscles surrounding the air tubes of the lungs go into spasm, the mucous lining swells and secretions build up, making breathing difficult. Lungs are the air pumping stations of our body which transfer atmospheric oxygen into our body and continue this process for breathing, he added.
To a question he said that Pakistan has between 13-14 million asthmatics. Asthma usually develops in childhood, but may begin later in life. Women are more prone to developing asthma as compared to men due to structure of their bodies. About symptoms of asthma, he said it vary from time to time.
During attack, the person may make a wheezing or whistling sound while breathing, cough a great deal and spit out mucous. Many things can trigger asthma, including allergens, such as dust and pollen.
In general, infections are the most common triggers of asthma. Other triggers include exercise, wood or cigarette smoke, changes in weather, cold or flu, chemical vapour from the household, analgesics, dyes, food preservatives and emotional stress, he added.
"Use of aspirin and ibuprofen can cause severe reactions, therefore these should be taken with caution. Asthma inhalants having steroid can increase the risk of glaucoma. This is a particular concern for adults", he said.
To a question, Professor Dr Saqib said that around 8 million children may be having asthma in Pakistan, but only less than 4 million are ever diagnosed and treated properly.
Anecdotal estimates from the Pakistan Chest Society place the prevalence of asthma to be about 9 percent in the adult Pakistani population. This tantamount to another almost 10 million adults suffering from asthma. This situation is compounded by the fact that the number of qualified allergists in the country is almost negligible primarily because allergy is a relatively new field of specialisation.
To another question, he said that patients with moderate to severe asthma have to take long-term medication daily to control the underlying inflammation and prevent symptoms and attacks. If symptoms occur, short-term medications are used to relieve them.
Although asthma does not kill on the scale of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, failure to use appropriate drugs or comply with treatment, coupled with an under-recognition of the severity of the problem, can lead to unnecessary deaths, most of which occur outside hospital, he added.
About use of inhalers, he said that there are many misconceptions about inhalers in Pakistan and many believe they are addictive if used regularly.
On the use of steroids, Professor Dr Saqib said that steroids are recommended only for short-term use in the event of a severe asthma attack.
According to him inhalers, on the other hands, contain a small quantity of steroids but do not cause any significant side effects and are by far the best drug currently available for the prevention of asthma.
There has been a rapid increase in the number of people and children with Asthma in Pakistan. Atmospheric pollution, smoking and changes in dietary habits are some of the major reasons behind this rise.
Highlighting the relationship between diet and asthma, he pointed out that children these days eat less fruit and vegetables and instead rely on fast food. This, he said, is thought to be one of the reasons behind the increase in asthma cases world-wide. He also stressed the need to remove the social stigma attached to asthma in Pakistan. Patients with asthma can live a normal life provided they get the appropriate treatment.