KARACHI, Feb 5: Poorly treated asthma aggravates death risk among all age groups of asthma patients, particularly in children. This was stated by Dr Naseeruddin, a paediatrician, while speaking at an ‘Asthma Awareness Programme.

Asthma control was sub-optimal because people did not control the disease in a proper manner, he commented while explaining the effects of the disease on people of varied age groups.

Reiterating the fact that asthma can get severe if left untreated and people should not underestimate or misunderstand the disease, he said that 10 per cent asthamatics (with severe or under treated asthma) could be at risk of emergency treatment in hospital.

He said it was estimated that there were 22,000 deaths from asthma every year in the country and according to data 30 children died daily of severe asthma attack.

Dr Naseer said that in order to avoid the mortality rate of asthma or the cost of hospitalization, preventive measures should be adopted. Risk of asthma was not high in children that were breast fed in their infancy, he added.

“Breastfeeding is beneficial and can help your child fight the symptoms of asthma,” he stressed urging mothers that since breastfeeding is beneficial and can help their child fight the symptoms of asthma they should opt for it.

Moreover, he said that asthma must be diagnosed at an early stage.

Regarding the use of nebulizer and inhaler, he said there was no data showing that inhalation destroys the respiratory tract or has side effects. Oral drugs on the other hand have various side effects and can damage liver, he said adding that inhaled medication is preferable as it contains the same amount of medication as oral tablets have but fewer side effects.—APP