Medicine crucial for managing asthma
March 4, 2010 |16:24 | General Information By : Team X
Speaking at ‘Breathe Free’, an awareness drive on Asthma launched at the KEM hospital on Wednesday, chest physicians Dr Parag Khatavkar and Dr Madhav Kale said that adherence to prescribed medication was crucial for managing asthma, but the rate of non-adherence was as high as 50 per cent. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) there are about 30 million asthmatics in India. Most of them are unaware, undiagnosed, undertreated or getting suboptimal treatment and hence run the risk of irreversible damage to their lungs.
Results from studies done in Pune have shown that the prevalence of asthma in children has doubled in five years (from 2003-2008). It is a silent disease and skipping does of medicine does not manifest any prominent symptom, says Khatavkar . He pointed out that uncontrolled asthma can lead to hospitalisation, loss of work and even death.
Kale said that inhalation therapy was an effective and affordable way to keep asthma under control. Inhalers are more effective because the medicine is delivered quickly in the airways in our lungs rather than tablets and syrups. The conference gave around 70 asthmatics who were present a platform to voice their concerns. The `Breathe Free’ initiative by CIPLA is reaching out to asthmatics and their families.
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