Asthma prevalence rising, say docs

BANGALORE: City doctors will have a revelation to make on World Asthma Day. Much as the prevalence of asthma has increased to an estimated six lakh in Bangalore, the incidence of the seasonal asthma attacks during summer has shot up on par with perennial asthma. Despite high prevalence, asthma medicines are not available in government hospitals. Pulmonologists and asthmatologists, who once felt that the seasonal pattern of asthma was predictable with its highs and lows from June to January, now say the prevalence of pollen allergy, house dust, mite allergy, cockroach allergy are in almost equal proportions.Summer asthma, which occurs mainly due to pollen, has no more remained at a negligible 2 per cent in the city. The numbers are obvious, but the exact causes for the rise in the incidence of summer asthma in the city are yet to be established, they say. "A combination of atmospheric pollutants and pollens has led to the increase in the prevalence of asthma in general". In a survey conducted by Dr H B Chandrashekar, consultant in pulmonary medicine, asthma and respiratory sleep disorders, only 12 per cent of asthmatic patients use effective medicines to control the disease. "Despite increasing prevalence, morbidity and mortality due to asthma, the most effective method of treating the disease — inhaled medications — there is widespread misconceptions in its treatment besides lack of availability of asthma medicines," he says. The disease itself is under-diagnosed and under-treated in India leading to poor quality of life. Despite orientation programmes by Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) to provide effective medical care for asthma tailored to local healthcare systems and resources, general physicians here are largely unaware of the correct line of treatment. "There is a need to update knowledge for a uniform line of asthma treatment by the medical fraternity in general," feels Dr K S Satish, chest medicine specialist, stressing the need for better treatment in government hospitals. "The new line of treatment is not as expensive as it is made out to be. On an average, treatment for simple asthma costs an average of Rs 100 a month," Dr Satish adds.