Though no cure is found for asthma yet, its patients live normal, active and productive life. This was the message of a presentation by Dr Shazli Manzoor of Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad on "Asthma Awareness Programme" (AAP) conducted by Rotary Club of Islamabad here on Thursday.
He stressed that an international study by Gaining Optimal Asthma Control "GOAL" proves for the first time that asthma patients can live a normal life and avoid symptoms of the disease.
AAP leaflets further showed that there are 7.5 million patients of asthma in Pakistan. Of these 57 percent have no basic knowledge or understanding of its treatment.
Moreover, it was stated that 90 percent asthmatics in Pakistan do not lead normal life as they do not visit doctors and do not administer proper doses. They are not aware of the fact that asthma is manageable. There has been 76 percent increase of asthmatic patients in Pakistan in the past 10 years.
Talking on the myths about asthma, the leaflets said that it is not a contagious disease, under control, it is not of concern. There are no cures but there is prevention from its attack, the inhalers are not addictive, inhalers and preventers should be used as prescribed by the doctors, and no diet restriction but a balanced diet should be taken.
The monitoring of quick relief medicines is important, lest it worsens the swelling of airways, which can lead to a very severe asthma attack, he said.
Talking on the causes of asthma Dr Shazli said, pollen allergy is very common which he said could not be attributed to any specific item. Referring to Mulberry tree one of the considered factors of spreading pollen in Pakistan has not affected anyone in China, he added.
Ninety percent of all asthma sufferers have allergic asthma, which is triggered by allergens-substances capable of causing an allergic reaction.
The causes of allergic asthma are wide ranging. At the top of the list are specific allergens, such as pet dander, pollen and dust mites. People suffering specific allergen-induced asthma are usually well aware of the offending allergen and try to avoid it.
Pollutants, wood dust, smoke, irritants, chemicals, viral infections, bacteria, stress, emotion and exercise are other frequently diagnosed causes.
Dr Shazli said that there is a solution to all these problems, referring to international study by GOAL proves for the first time that asthma patients can live a normal life and avoid symptoms of the disease.
Best prevention to control it is to abstain from those activities, which create symptoms of asthma to a person, like staying away from fragrance, humidity, dust, pollen, smoking, cats etc varying from person to person, he said.
Relievers, provide a quick relief must be kept with the patient all the time, to avoid any emergency situation, but there are preventive medicines, which control asthma and prevent symptoms from occurring. If relievers are used twice a week in the daytime or twice a month at night-time, then preventers should be used, said Dr Shazli Manzoor.
There are many famous celebrities and athletes around the world with asthma said the AAP leaflets, for example Sandra Voelker, the German swimming champion, who has won a total of 63 medals at the Olympic games and World Championships, was asthmatic.
Giving his presentation on the subject, he said that there is no cause yet known to this disease, regarding it 'undefined'. It is a very complicated disease, which is incurable, research is still going on to identify its causes and remedies, he added.
Explaining Asthma, Dr Shazli said, it is a disease of the lung that affects the bronchial tubes or airways. The term "asthma" comes from the Greek meaning, "to breathe hard." Medical terminology defines the condition as Reversible Obstructive Airway Disease (ROAD). Unlike other conditions that obstruct the airways, such as cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, asthma does not affect sufferers all of the time.
The lungs are a network of airways or bronchial tubes. The bronchial tubes are made of muscles and a mucous membrane. In a healthy lung, air moves freely through the bronchial tubes.
Asthma is most common chronic disease of childhood, there are about 300 million cases world-wide, he said, 11 percent in North America, 10 percent in Latin America, 50 percent in Europe and 29 percent in Asia Pacific, he added.