In the UK, 5.2 million people have asthma, including 1.1 million children (1 in 10), and every year more than 1400 people die of asthma – that’s one every 6 hours, according to Asthma UK.

But if asthma sufferers were better equipped to manage their condition, a significant number of deaths could be avoided. In fact, a massive 75 per cent of hospital admissions for asthma are avoidable and as many as 90% of the deaths from asthma are preventable.

Half of sufferers have severe symptoms; some because treatments that are currently available do not effectively manage their asthma, but the vast majority suffer unnecessarily because of a failure of asthma management. In these cases effective treatment is available but they do not benefit from it, either because they do not realise it is there, they do not use it effectively or because they do not have access to specialist practitioners.

One in six people with severe asthma symptoms report weekly attacks so severe that they cannot speak – that’s 430,000 people, or the entire population of Manchester! And even more than that are constantly scared that their next asthma attack will be the one that kills them.

Living with asthma can be difficult. For example, more than half of asthma sufferers are forced to avoid smoky pubs and restaurants and are unable to have pets, and over 40 per cent say that traffic fumes stop them walking and shopping in congested areas.

Asthma costs the NHS an average of £889 million per year, and over 2.7 million working days are lost to asthma each year.

What Is Asthma?

Asthma is an allergy. When asthma sufferers come into contact with a ‘trigger’ like smoke or pets, the airways to the lungs tighten and become blocked, making it very difficult to breathe.

What Causes Asthma?

Asthma can develop at any point in a person’s life. Children with an asthmatic parent or parents who smoke are twice as likely to develop asthma, and smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of your baby having difficulty breathing and developing asthma by 35 per cent.

Environmental pollution and irritants at work could also be triggers, since central heating and bad ventilation increase the risk of mould and dust mites, both of which irritate asthma. People exposed to substances like chemicals, paint, flour, wood dust and latex rubber at work are more likely to develop occupational asthma.

The increase in asthma is also a sign of the times: an unbalanced diet, obesity and an overly hygienic and sanitised environment have all been linked to asthma.

Treatment

There is no cure for asthma, but medication can control the symptoms effectively. Each person is different, and should discuss a personal method of management with a health practitioner.

If you are experiencing asthma symptoms, a reliever (a blue inhaler pump) is a medication that will quickly relax the muscles surrounding the narrowed airways, making it easier to breathe again. They are essential in treating asthma attacks. However, relievers should not be used every day (high doses cause a quickened heart rate and shaking), and if you’re finding that you need them regularly, you are not managing your condition effectively and should speak to your doctor about finding a preventer inhaler as well.

Preventers control the swelling and inflammation in the airways, stopping them from being so sensitive and reducing the risk of severe attacks. They build up over a period of time so they need to be taken every day, usually morning and evening, even when you are feeling well. Using them drastically reduces your chances of having an attack or landing up in hospital.

Preventer inhalers usually contain a steroid medication, (not the type used by bodybuilders) but have no side effects other than a slight risk of a sore throat or a mouth infection, which can be avoided by simply brushing your teeth after using the inhaler.

Several studies have suggested that a balanced diet including plenty of fruits and vegetables protects against asthma and improves its symptoms. Read more: Mediterranean Diet 'Protects Against Asthma'.

What Is An Asthma Attack?

An asthma attack occurs when a person has extreme difficulty breathing, and is unable to sleep, work or be active. During an attack, you should take two puffs of your reliever inhaler, loosen tight clothing, sit upright and take another puff every minute. Try to remain calm. If you become too breathless to talk, your lips go blue or your symptoms do not improve within 5 minutes, call an ambulance immediately and continue having a puff a minute until it arrives.

More On Asthma

Children with asthma are far more likely to experience learning disabilities, depression and anxiety, research suggests. Read more: Asthmatic Children Face Behavioural Problems.

A recent study has also shown that the majority of children with asthma in the UK do not have their condition under control. Read more: Asthmatic Children Still Not Breathing Easier.

Improving asthma care and control this World Asthma Day (1st May) will drastically reduce hospital admissions, according to Asthma UK. Read more: World Asthma Day.

 
Visit asthma.org.uk