Asthma, An Inflammatory Disorder Of The Respiratory Tract

By Hazlinda Hamzah KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 (Bernama) -- The haze has returned and with it brought air pollutants that have a lasting impact on the health of Malaysians. Breathing this hazardous air outdoors brings along with it serious repercussions for those prone to respiratory disorders such as asthma. Which brings us to a question --- what is asthma? According to the medical fraternity, asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airway that causes symptoms such as shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, coughing and wheezing. In people with asthma, the lungs turn thick and swell before inflammation. Their airways become overly sensitive to environmental changes and an asthma attack is most likely. TREATMENT There are two types of treatments for asthma -- the quick relief method and the long-term therapy with preventive medication. "Bronchodilator is a substance that works on the muscles to open up the airways. It eventually adds airflow to the lungs," explains Dr Norzila Mohamed Zainudin, the Consultant Paediatrician at the Paediatric Institute, Kuala Lumpur hospital (HKL). She says asthma is a common respiratory tract disease and it is important to educate all asthma patients about this, right from a young age. Towards this end, the Asthma Council Malaysia (ACM) supported by GlaxcoSmithKline Pharmaceutical Sdn Bhd (GSK) has produced an asthma-related comic book titled ‘What’s Up With Max?’ It is intended to spread asthma education and management among asthmatic children, in line with a call made by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) to raise awareness on asthma. Vijaya Surendran, Group Product Manager of GSK, believes that this comic book will serve as an educational and informative tool to educate young asthma patients. "At the same time, it will promote good reading culture among the young of the country," Vijaya adds, saying that the comic is available in English and Bahasa Melayu. MEDICATION According to a report on asthma conducted by the World Health Organisation, (WHO), 300 million people are currently suffering from asthma globally. This disease is the most common chronic disease among children and because it is an asymptomatic disease, it is not completely curable. The long-term therapy recommended by physicians is in the form of steroids which are inhaled using an inhaler. "This medication should be taken for at least six months depending on the severity of the asthma suffered following the doctor’s diagnosis. It is available in government hospitals for free," says Dr Norzila. Medications recommended for asthma patients have very minimal side effects and are safe for long term use. However the preventive medication does not hinder asthma patients from suffering an attack. Dr Norzila says a child suffering from asthma can still get severe attacks during viral infections and in hazy weather situations. However, if asthma is controlled consistently, the severity of an attack can be reduced. Asthma symptoms vary from those seen in the day and can get worse at night and during the early hours of the morning. "The severity of asthma also varies from one patient to another. Statistics show that 69 percent of child sufferers miss at least a day of school each year due to an asthma attack," she claims. FOOD Many people with asthma try to avoid eating certain foods to prevent discomforting attacks. Is it true that fruits such as watermelons can trigger an asthma attack? "There is no proven evidence scientifically. Some people find themselves getting a throat irritation from the skin of the rambutan seed flesh or while eating succulent oranges. "Ice too can cause a cough in one’s receptors naturally, but that is not the cause of any asthma attack," she explains, adding that there are certain chemicals in processed foods that can trigger asthma attacks. "However, I strongly believe that the trigger factors can be something other than weather changes, air pollution and exposure to smoke exhaled by smokers," Dr Norzila says. STATISTICS Statistics of 2006 show that between seven to eight per cent of children in Malaysia suffer from asthma whereas one per cent suffer from acute asthma. When asked about the current developments, following their six-year research on asthma, Dr Norliza says the number of children with asthma has been quite stable. "Two thirds of these children will outgrow their asthma if treated continuously," she explains. The prevalence in adults is far lower at four per cent. Asthma affects people of all ethnic groups, various socio-economic levels and ages. Inadequate knowledge and widespread misconceptions about asthma and its treatment result in improper management of the disease, says Dr Norzila. -- BERNAMA