Many people with asthma not aware of the ailment

Many people with asthma not aware of the ailment

JAKARTA (JP): Amid the significant prevalence of asthma in the
country, many people afflicted by the ailment are not aware of
it, physicians said here on Sunday.

The doctors said that many of those afflicted with the ailment
felt embarrassed about their breathing problems so that they were
reluctant to go to the doctors to get proper medication.

"It's a pity that some patients finally die due to mild asthma
because of their poor knowledge of the illness, which actually
can be controlled with intensive treatment," pulmonary specialist
Pradnja Paramita told a media briefing.

The media briefing was part of the Third National Scientific
Meeting of Respiratory Medicines (Respina 2001) currently being
held here.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airway which
limits the amount of air going in and out while breathing. As a
result, the sufferer faces difficulties in breathing which is
often indicated by a wheezing sound.

The underlying cause of the illness, which can attack people
from all ages and walks of life, has not been identified. Most
sufferers do not consider it a serious medical problem.

The number of asthma sufferers in the country has reached up
to 7.7 percent of the population. A national community health
survey in 1986 revealed that asthma ranked fifth among the 10
most common diseases.

Pulmonary specialist Faisal Yunus from state-run Persahabatan
Hospital revealed in 2000 alone the number of patients with
asthma who were rushed to the hospital's emergency room reached
2,210, up 44 percent from 1,653 in 1998.

The number of patients treated at the emergency rooms showed
how many people are not aware of the illness and how they tend to
underestimate the existing symptoms, he said.

"The illness certainly affects a patients' quality of life
because they often wake up short-winded, experience severe
coughing or are hit by a heavy sensation in the chest. In the end
they are unable to go to the office or to school in the morning,"
he said.

Feisal also said that only one tenth of the patients use the
inhaler corticosteroid regularly, the most effective drug which
can bring relief to sufferers.

There are various forms of the illness which need different
types of treatment, he said.

A symptom for patients with mild asthma is that they often
suffer from a persistent cough. Such symptoms, which are often
falsely diagnosed as bronchitis or even tuberculosis, can be
alleviated by an over-the-counter inhaler, which costs between Rp
100,000 (US$11.36) and Rp 200,000 and is effective for at least
25 days.

For more severe cases, the patients would need to spend more
to get effective medication to aid their breathing aside from the
inhaler.

Fransiscus Chandra, the medical director of GlaxoSmithKline
pharmaceutical, pointed out that asthma patients can lead a
normal life if they continue to take medication; not only when
they experience an asthma attack.

"Asthma is an individual illness which can come and go
throughout the patient's life. The impact which affects one's
quality of life can only be curbed if the patients take
medication, have good knowledge about the disease and do special
exercises."

She added that in Jakarta alone, there are asthma clubs at 20
hospitals where patients can go to practice asthma exercises
which help them to breath correctly and strengthen the
respiratory muscles. (bby)