Asthma runs in our family. My maternal grandmother had asthma and died in year 2013. I miss her everyday. She is the beautiful lady with me on my Facebook profile picture for the past three years that I never want to change because that is very special to me. I saw how my grandmother suffered from asthma attacks and that gives me the reason to sometimes let go of the pain I've felt that she's gone now. Sadly all of my three children were diagnosed with asthma. My eldest and youngest son were both hospitalized because of their asthma attacks. Thankfully, my children are all well today.
Have you, or someone you know, been diagnosed with asthma? If so, you probably have lots of questions like me.
According to the
Global Asthma Report, an estimated 300 million people worldwide are affected by
asthma. In the Philippines, approximately 11 Million or 1 out 10 Filipinos are
suffering from this debilitating disease.² This incurable disease burdens
patients with a sense of imprisonment and constant restraint preventing them to
live their lives to the fullest.
ALL
ABOUT ASTHMA
“Asthma is a recurring inflammatory
disorder in the airways of breathing, which undergoes variable expiratory flow
and reversible bronchoconstrictions. In people with asthma, the airways are
chronically inflamed. Certain triggers can make the inflammation worse and
cause a narrowing of the airways”, shares Dr. Melvin Pasay, a pulmonologist and
Medical Affairs Manager of GSK.
Common symptoms include
- constant wheezing
- breathlessness
- chest tightness
- coughing often late at night or early in the morning.
Asthma can be triggered by dust, changes in weather (often cold), animals (pet hair in particular), exercise, tobacco smoke and stress.
The cause of asthma is unknown. However
as shared by Philippine Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Inc. (PSAAI)
President, Dr. Carmela Kasala, several predisposing factors to consider include:
- genetic history (personal history or first degree relative) with asthma
- allergic rhinitis
- eczema
- weight and smoking history.
While there is also no known cure for asthma, this serious chronic disease can be controlled and effectively treated. By establishing a strong partnership between a patient and his doctor, results showed that asthma can be controlled.
BURDEN
OF HAVING ASTHMA
In the Asia Pacific, including the
Philippines, a study showed that activity limitation caused by asthma has been
quite prevalent. A mean of 44.7% of respondents reported that normal physical activity
was compromised, and 37.9% believed that their choice of job or career was
limited. A total of 52.7% of respondents said that sports and recreation were
affected, and 37.6% believed their lifestyle was restricted while almost 50%
reported sleep disturbances.³
“A lot of asthma patients have resigned and became ‘prisoners’ to
their condition. Many seem to have created imaginary cages and locking
themselves up with lifestyle restrictions. They are assuming that frequent
symptoms, exacerbations and lifestyle limitations are inevitable consequences of having asthma - unaware that their condition can
be controlled,” observes Dr. Pasay.
ASTHMA
CONTROL AWARENESS
What is alarming is that 98 percent of
Filipino asthma patients remain uncontrolled or only partly controlled.
“This means that asthma patients will
only use medication when they have attacks believing that as long as there are
no attacks they will be okay. As such, they believe that it is enough that they
have available medicines to be taken on an as-needed basis,” shares Dr. Sylvia
Yang, World Asthma Day committee chair of Philippine College of Chest
Physicians (PCCP).
Regular visits and consultations with
doctors likewise became less as children grew up and had lesser asthma attacks.
Most are relying on peers, family and even online resources to provide limited
information and possibly, sub-optimal treatment for their condition. This makes patients underestimate their
condition leading to poor asthma control.
Cost of treatment is also a main
consideration for compliance, but the truth is uncontrolled asthma can lead to
higher odds of hospitalization and emergency room visits and become more expensive
due to direct medical cost like hospitalization
or medications and indirect cost like time lost from work, overall productivity
or even premature death.
WORLD
ASTHMA DAY
In celebration of World Asthma Day, an
annual event organized by the "Global Initiative for Asthma” (GINA) to
improve asthma awareness and care around the world, GSK Philippines unveils “ASTHMAlaya Ka Ba Talaga? campaign, a
disease awareness initiative that also seeks to encourage asthma patients, to
be more proactive in consulting their doctors on how they can achieve asthma
control.
So how do you know if you need asthma
control? It’s easy, if you are an asthma patient who experiences daytime asthma
symptoms (coughing or wheezing) more than twice a week, wakes up at night due
to asthma, uses an asthma reliever more than twice a week or have any activity
limitations due to asthma, you may have uncontrolled asthma and need to
immediately consult your doctor.
 |
| GSK's Asthmalaya Campaign for World Asthma Day Dr Melvin Pasay of GSK, Dr. Jennifer Ann Wi of PCCP, Dr Sylvia Yang PCCP, Dr. Vincent Balanag, PCCP Pres, Dr. Carmela Kasala and Dr Gio Barangan of GSK |
The celebration was participated by advocates
from Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP) and the Philippine Society
of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Inc. (PSAAI) who are one with the advocacy of
furthering awareness and urgency among patients to consult their doctors for
proper asthma control.
 |
| GSK's Asthmalaya Campaign for World Asthma Day Dr. Melvin Pasay, a pulmonologist and Medical Affairs Manager of GSK. |
As
Dr. Pasay profoundly put it,
“Our message is clear; “You don’t have to serve a life sentence of limitations because of Asthma, be in control and be ASTHMALAYA!”
For more updates,
visit https://www.facebook.com/winagainstasthma/, or for more in-depth information, you can
check out GSK’s website. https://health.gsk.ph
References:
1)
The Global Asthma Report 2014. Auckland, New
Zealand: Global Asthma Network, 2014.
2)
Varona, LL.,
et. al. Prevalence of Asthma Among Filipino Adults Based on the Nutrition and
Health Survey (NNHeS). PJIM Vol 52 Num 4, Oct-Dec 2014
3)
Lai, E. A.
(2003). Asthma Control in the Asia Pacific Region: The Asthma Insights and
Reality in Asia-Pacific Study. J Allergy Clin Immunol , 265.
4) Wong, GWK, et. al. Pediatric asthma
control in Asia: Phase 2 of the Asthma Insights and Reality in Asia-Pacific
(AIRIAP 2) survey. Allergy 68 (2013) 524-530
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