Asthma, acute bronchitis emerging as greater threat

Islamabad : Asthma and acute bronchitis have emerged as greater threats in winter particularly in last few years that according to health experts is mainly because of careless attitude of patients.

Data collected by ‘The News’ reveals that this year too in winter, greater number of patients of asthma and acute bronchitis with serious complications are being reported at both the public and private healthcare facilities in twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi as compared to the number of patients presented in previous years.

In last two-and-a-half months, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences has received well over 2000 patients with respiratory distress of which not less than 50 per cent were with asthma while an estimated 20 per cent reached hospital with bronchitis and the rest of the patients were overlapped cases of asthma and bronchitis.

Similarly, the three allied hospitals in Rawalpindi have also received over 4000 patients with complications of asthma and bronchitis since the advent of winter. The complications of the health threats have claimed not less than 10 lives at public sector hospitals in town this winter and it is mainly because most of the cases of the problems reached hospital after developing serious complications and the fact shows carelessness on the part of the patients.

The public sector hospitals in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have adequate facilities for treatment and management of asthma and bronchitis and the successful recovery is observed in over 90 per cent like cases, said Senior Consultant Intensive Care Medicine at PIMS Dr. Muhammad Haroon while talking to ‘The News’.

He said a number of factors are responsible for increase in number of cases of complications of asthma and acute bronchitis. Asthma, bronchitis and their complications can be prevented and treated but the key to management is awareness and knowledge about the disease, he said.

In most of the cases, it was observed that no vaccinations against flu and pneumonia were given to patients with pre-existing lung diseases while late response was observed in case of a number of patients who followed self-medication, he said.

He added that unnecessary use of broad spectrum antibiotics earlier in the course of disease has resulted in multidrug resistant infections and increased hospital admissions. No quarantine or isolation of patients particularly at home with respiratory infections has resulted in spread of the disease and asthma and bronchitis attacks, said Dr. Haroon.

He said majority of patients are unaware of preventive measures needed to avoid asthma attacks while it was also observed that a good number of patients do not follow their physicians’ advice on treatment protocol.

It is important that status asthmaticus is a severe condition in which asthma attacks follow one another without pause. It is a life threatening condition and patient needs ICU admission for management.

Inability to complete sentences, drowsiness, bluish discoloration of fingers and face and no response to routine medicines along with agitation and restlessness are main symptoms of status asthmaticus, said Dr. Haroon.

He said that to avoid asthma attacks, patients should follow preventive measures religiously in winter and they should strictly avoid cold as much as possible, avoid dust, smoke, exertion, heavy exercises and prolonged use of gas heaters. The patients should also avoid self-medication and get vaccination for flu and pneumonia in winter, he said.