Rawalpindi: Cold induced asthma is continuing to hit population in this region of the country after the setting in of extreme cold yet dry weather and the most alarming thing is that the health threat which may be life threatening is not taken seriously by majority of population.
Studies reveal that any kind of asthma can cause death and it is documented that maximum number of unexpected deaths are caused by asthma around the globe.
Data collected by ‘The News’ has revealed that during the last one month, the three teaching hospitals in town have received not less than 2,000 patients of asthma with varying severity in their outpatient and emergency departments and the number of patients with complications of asthma is continuously on the rise.
Data also reveals that the health threat has claimed a number of lives in public sector hospitals of the region in last one-and-a-half months though in majority of cases, it is taken as co-morbidity and not as a direct cause of death.
According to Additional Medical Superintendent (Administration) at Holy Family Hospital Dr. Tariq Masood Niazi, the cases of cold induced asthma that can be termed as allergic asthma is on the rise mainly because of dry cold weather in the region.
He said that cold air when inhaled acts like that of an allergen and the existing cold and dry air causes dryness in the respiratory tract because of which bacteria can easily enter the body through inhalation.
He, like many other health experts believe that asthma causes severe complications in patients who do not take care particularly of medication and diet in winter that is considered as hard for asthmatics.
To avoid losses by asthma in winter, the patients must take care of their diet. Choices for a person following an anti-inflammatory diet include dark leafy greens, including kale and spinach, dark chocolate, red grapes. nutrition-dense vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, beans and lentils, green vegetables, avocado and coconut, olive oil, walnuts, pistachios, pine nuts, almonds and cold water fish including salmon and sardines, turmeric and cinnamon and herbs, Senior Consultant Intensive Care Medicine at PIMS Dr. Muhammad Haroon while talking to ‘The News’ on Sunday.
He added that the foods to be avoid in asthma include processed meats, sugary drinks, trans fats found in fried foods, white bread, white pasta, soybean oil and vegetable oil processed snack foods, such as chips and crackers, desserts such as cookies, candy and ice cream.
There is some evidence that suggests a high-carbohydrate diet, even when the carbohydrates are healthful, may promote inflammation. Because of this, many people on an anti-inflammatory diet should choose to reduce their carbohydrate intake, he said.
He added that all patients of asthma prescribed with inhalers (puffers) must keep aerosol devices with them. Apart from aerosols, nebulizer machines are the best and should be kept at home. They use aerosol solutions and their use can terminate acute attack as well as in routine. Know your device. Visit your physician regularly and get vaccinated for influenza and pneumonia, said Dr. Haroon.
