Study: 98% Filipino asthma patients lack proper treatment

MANILA, Philippines - According to the Global Asthma Report, approximately 11 million or 1 out 10 Filipinos are suffering from asthma, yet 98 percent of Filipino asthma patients continue to lack proper treatment.

“This means that asthma patients will only use medication when they have attacks believing that as long as there are no attacks they will be okay. As such, they believe that it is enough that they have available medicines to be taken on an as-needed basis,” shares Dr. Sylvia Yang, World Asthma Day committee chair of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP).

The study has also observed that most people affected with asthma rely on information given by their family and peers and even those found in the web, making them underrate their situation resulting to poor asthma control.

While people dismiss asthma, this can lead higher odds of hospitalization and emergency room visits if left uncontrolled. The treatment can become even more expensive due to direct medical cost  like hospitalization or medications and indirect cost like time lost from work, overall productivity or even premature death.

Defining asthma, Dr. Melvin Pasay, a pulmonologist and Medical Affairs Manager of GSK said it is a recurring inflammatory disorder in the airways of breathing, which undergoes variable expiratory flow and reversible bronchoconstrictions.

The cause of asthma is unknown. However Pasay shared that certain triggers of asthma such as dust, changes in weather (often cold), animals (pet hair in particular), exercise, tobacco smoke and stress can make the inflammation worse and cause a narrowing of the airways.

“While there is also no known cure for asthma, this serious chronic disease can be controlled and effectively treated. By establishing a strong partnership between a patient and his doctor, results showed that asthma can be controlled” shares Philippine Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Inc. (PSAAI) President, Dr. Carmela Kasala.

Simply relying on some people’s advice would not be enough, that is why consultation is deemed necessary.

One must understand that asthma do not just affect the physical being of a person but as well as their emotional and psychological aspects.

“A lot of asthma patients have resigned and became ‘prisoners’ to their condition. Many seem to have created imaginary cages and locking themselves up with lifestyle restrictions. They are assuming that frequent symptoms, exacerbations and lifestyle limitations are inevitable consequences of having asthma - unaware that their condition can be controlled,” observes Pasay.