Expert recommends review for asthma management

Expert recommends review for asthma management
By Talatu Maiwada
Asthma
Abuja, May 20, 2018 (NAN) Dr Kingsley Osagie, Consultant Pulmologist, at the National Hospital, Abuja, has advised asthma patients to have regular reviews of their cases in order to manage the condition better.
Osagie who gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja, explained that asthma reviews are appointment schedules between asthma patients and their doctors.
He said regular reviews gives patients the opportunity to talk about the condition and how the symptoms could be better managed hence keeping asthma under control with less risk of attacks.
“During reviews, doctors ask patients about their asthma symptoms, check their inhaler techniques and check their peak flow.
“They also check their inhalers and doses, update their asthma action plan and answer any questions from the patient.
“However, reviews are important within 24hours if patients use their inhalers more than three times a week, or when symptoms get worse, and if patients keep off work or school due to asthma.
“Also within 48 hours if patients had to go to hospital due to the condition, within four to eight weeks, if new medication was prescribed and needs to be changed or adjusted.
“Within 12 weeks if no symptoms recorded and the dose for medication needs to be reduced and if patients suffer seasonal triggers and allergies,’’ he said.
Osagie further defined asthma as a condition that affects the airways of the lungs making it hard for individuals to breath.
He said asthma attacks are often the result of a gradual worsening of symptoms over a few days, which should not be ignored by patients.
He said asthma attacks occur when reliever inhalers isn’t helping, when symptoms are getting worse such as cough, breathlessness, wheezing, too breathless to speak, eat or sleep and when breathing gets faster.
Osagie however advised patients to immediately take one to two puffs of their reliever inhaler; secondly, sit down and take slow, steady breaths; thirdly, two more puffs of inhaler every two minutes if no relieve.
He added that if symptoms persist, patients must call their doctors or get to the hospital immediately.
The consultant advised patients to avoid asthma triggers such as exercise, allergies like animal fur or dust, cigarette smoke, chest infections and air pollution, among others.
Osagie noted that asthma was a major disease with over 330 million people around the world affected with the condition.
He said Nigeria contributes about 15 million of the affected people with asthma globally, while about 250,000 die yearly of the condition, saying such deaths were preventable if put under control. (NAN)
TIM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola