Asthma is the most common chronic disease and the main risk factor for death in children and young people up to 30 years of age, said Prof. Piotr Kuna from the Polish Society of Allergology.
The meeting was organized on the occasion of the World Asthma Day on May 5. 300 million people worldwide suffer from this disease, and in 15 years their number will increase to 400 million – forecasts the World Health Organization (WHO). In our country, about 4 million people are probably sick, the most cases are among children under the age of five.
The number of patients with asthma is constantly increasing, but we are also concerned that in many patients the disease is not properly controlled – said the chairman of the Polish Federation of Asthma, Allergy and COPD Patients, Dr. Piotr Dąbrowiecki. In Poland, only every second patient is diagnosed with asthma. Good asthma control is the theme of this year’s global asthma day.
The underlying cause of asthma is bronchial hypersensitivity, which leads to bronchospasm under the influence of various stimuli, such as cold air, exertion, pungent smells, tobacco smoke, and even laughter, long talk, weather changes, stress and emotions.
The cause of this hypersensitivity is chronic bronchitis, usually associated with an allergic reaction, not some infection – emphasized Dr. Izabela Kupryś-Lipińska from the Department of Internal Medicine, Asthma and Allergy, Medical University of Lodz. Viral or bacterial infections can only aggravate the symptoms in these patients.
According to the specialist, in allergy sufferers, bronchospasms are most often caused by mites, to which 94% are allergic. patients with asthma, as well as the hair of dogs (68% allergic), cats (43%), molds (36%) and pollen. These patients also often have symptoms of other allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis, occurring in 80% of patients. patients, as well as atopic dermatitis and allergic conjunctivitis, he adds.
Dr. Dąbrowiecki emphasizes that you should pay attention primarily to shortness of breath, wheezing and cough, as these may be the first symptoms of asthma. Although they can also indicate other lung and bronchial diseases, and even heart diseases, when they appear suddenly and under the influence of specific stimuli, they rather indicate asthma.
Let us not be ashamed to ask our doctor, let him pay attention to our ailments, this may be the first step to detect asthma, which can be effectively treated with proper management. As much as 80 percent patients with this disease can function, work and travel normally, the specialist assured.
Dr. Dąbrowiecki said that he himself is an example of this. I have been ill since the age of two, I am allergic to most pollen, but I can live a normal life. Due to his illness, after graduating from medical studies at the Military Medical Academy, he began to specialize in allergology. He admits that at the age of 10 he found a doctor who started to treat him properly.
There are still primary care practitioners who know too little about asthma and are poorly managing asthma. We suffer not only from the disease, but also as a result of incompetent medics – said Katarzyna Jankowska, who suffers from asthma, from the Asthma Healthcare Society.
Prof. Kuna added that patients do not need to undergo specialist tests to detect asthma, it is enough just to observe them. A good confirmation of the disease is to give the patient an appropriate drug that will relieve the symptoms. Then we are sure that it is actually asthma and not another disease – he emphasized.
Severe Asthma Report was published on the occasion of World Asthma Day. The situation of patients in Poland. It occurs only in 5-10 percent. patients with asthma, but it poses the greatest challenge for doctors. Thanks to appropriate therapy, we can help even these patients, providing them with a fairly normal life – said Dr. Dąbrowiecki.
He added that on May 4, a spirobus was launched in Poland, where you will be able to undergo spirometry, tests for the detection of bronchial asthma and obstructive pulmonary disease, free of charge. The vehicle will visit 100 towns throughout the country (detailed route and dates are available on the NEUCA Foundation website).
May 6 at 17.00 at the headquarters of the National Health Fund at ul. Grójecka 186 in Warsaw will conduct training for patients with bronchial asthma and allergies and their caregivers. Persons willing to participate in this meeting are asked to send their applications to the following address [email protected] or registering by phone at: 22 5726253.