'Adherence to prescribed treatment keeps your asthma under control'

Mangalore, April 30: Observing the theme 'You can control your asthma' on world asthma day, city doctors highlighted the importance of inhalation therapy in asthma as well as adhering to it can keep asthma under control thus preventing serious asthma attacks and hospitalizations. However in India it is found that compliance to asthma medication regime is very poor and tends to falter after a few months in both children and adults and the rate of non- adherence has been estimated to be around 50%.

Commenting on the reason for non-adherence to asthma medications Dr Vishwas Sharma of A J Hospital, Mangalore, said, ”Adherence to prescribed treatment is the most important aspect of managing a chronic disease like asthma. Many patients once they feel better stop treatment after few weeks. This can be dangerous since stopping treatment can lead to aggravation of the disease and precipitate an asthma attack. Very few asthmatics understand that asthma is an episodic condition which varies between symptomatic and asymptomatic periods. The asymptomatic period is a crucial time in asthma therapy as the patient may discontinue treatment assuming that he/she may not require any more medication”.

Commenting on the scenario of poor asthma control in India, Dr Vishwas Sharma said,”The paradox of asthma in India is that despite the availability and affordability of world class treatment , this totally controllable disease is depriving the asthmatics in the country of a normal life ; many a times subjecting them to traumatic attacks , hospitalization and even resulting in deaths. The most effective asthma treatment is inhalation therapy which comprises of 'controllers ' for regular use as prescribed and 'Relievers ' for emergency treatment. However, unfortunately patients in India have a psychological barrier to inhalers and feel that inhalers are the last resource and could be addictive. They need to be educated about inhalers being the safest and most effective for managing their asthma”.

Asthma has evolved as the most common chronic disease in children and today 1 out of 10 children in India has asthma. Commenting on asthma control among children , Dr Vishwas Sharma said,” Initiation of inhalation therapy in an asthmatic child at the earliest helps in controlling the disease, prevents attacks, preserves the function of his /her lungs and also improves the overall quality of life. However currently many asthmatic children in the country are treated with oral medications due to lack of understanding and acceptance towards inhaled medicines.

He further added, “In such cases, therefore a doctor might have to take out additional time for the child and his /her parents as it is of utmost importance that the parent learns from the doctor the correct inhaler techniques to deliver the medicine. If diagnosed and treated early, an asthmatic child can lead a completely normal childhood.”