03 November 2004	Wednesday	19 Ramazan 1425

KARACHI, Nov 2: Changing weather conditions in the city is aggravating plight of asthmatic patients reporting in large numbers to local hospitals with shortness of breath, tightness of chest, cough and wheeze - a whistling sound in breathing.

Asthma is normally registered to assume higher proportions with the onset of winters and during the cold weather is further aggravated due to poor environmental conditions both within and outside safe environs of large number of local households.

The disease could develop in any age right from birth to old age and asthmatic patients could live a normal and confident life provided adequate medical treatment was ensured, experts talking to APP said.

Dr Shakil Siddiqui, in charge of Korangi Govt Hospital's chest diseases department, said that proper management of asthma was necessary to avoid repeated attacks, which could damage lungs. In this regard, both preventive as well as relief measures should be taken into account, he said.

Elaborating his stance, he cited inhalers as the standard treatment but stressed that inhalers must not be applied without spacers among kids.

Acknowledging that spacers may be found expensive for many parents, he mentioned that application of plastic bottles as substitute for spacers was equally effective.

It may be mentioned that a 19 to 20 per cent prevalence rate of asthma is estimated among local children as against five per cent of the same among adults.

According to health-care providers, asthma cannot be cured but effectively controlled. The disease is also cited to be caused due to inflammation of respiratory airways causing growth of mucous membrane, which squeezes the airways resulting in inhalation of less air.

Extrinsic causes of the disease are usually identified as dust-induced allergy, pollen and animal fur while intrinsic cause can be attributed to emotional stress and setback.

It was observed that to avoid asthma one should stay away from those household items that contained dust mites as well as other objects one may be allergic to as certain animals, flowers, strong smellers, allergens and smoking.

Proper use of inhalers is also essential, as medicines through inhaler reach directly to the target area in the lungs. Moreover, as a very small amount of medicine is released through inhalers thus side effects are negligible. Medication for the condition include relievers for immediate relief as well as preventive medicines that prevent the onslaught of attack.

Dr Ayesha Mehnaz of Civil Hospital referred to commonly noticed allergens triggering asthma among kids.

Holding serious reservations on fast changing lifestyle withlittle consideration towards particular weather conditions and environment in a coastal city, she reminded dust mite largely concentrated at thick carpets emerged as the major contributor.

"People must allow plenty of sunlight into their home, particularly during the very season and avoid dampness," she stressed.

Poor hygienic condition in the city was registered again to enhance public vulnerability to allergies. This very factor has also been established through an ongoing study which further mentions indiscriminate spray of insecticide as another triggering factor.

It was regretted that due care was largely not taken to ensure that children as well as adults were not directly exposed to insecticides.

In addition to hygiene and environmental factors, people with genetic predisposition that is with parents allergic to certain factors are also at high risk to develop allergy against the same. Pollution, smoking, inadequate disposal of industrial and domestic waste are also identified among major causes.

Doctors also warned against active and passive smoking adding that the hazards of smoking were tremendous. They referred to indiscriminate use of wide range of drugs. Attributing the scenario to over the counter availability of medicines, the doctors said this again had its heavy toll on the masses. -APP