The number of people with asthma in America keeps rising. Today more than 20 million Americas (and one in eight American children) have asthma. Even more troubling is that over half, 11 million people, do not have the condition under control.
The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) wants to help Americans recognize the warning signs that can help them avoid an asthma emergency.
The often-missed warning signs of poorly controlled asthma are:
- Waking at night wheezing and/or coughing
- Requiring a quick-relief inhaler more than twice a week
- Missing school or work
- Being unable to participate in everyday activities
- Requiring emergency or urgent care
"Each day, five thousand Americans end up in the emergency department because of poorly controlled asthma," says Arlen Stauffer, MD, of the ACEP. "Most people really don't understand that asthma is a chronic condition that requires management on a daily basis. Patients need to know the warning signs of poor asthma control, recognize their triggers, and understand how to treat the two main causes of asthma symptoms."
Inflammation (swelling and irritation of the airways) and bronchoconstriction (tightening of the muscles surrounding the airways) are the two main causes of asthma symptoms, which include shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness and cough. Asthma "triggers" - substances or conditions that cause airways to become inflamed and constrict - also play an important role in causing asthma symptoms. Individual patients may have more than one trigger, but common triggers include: allergens (e.g., pollen, mold, dust mites), irritants in the air (e.g., tobacco smoke, perfume, scented soap), respiratory infections, exercise, and extreme weather conditions.
The problem is growing
The number of asthma patients in the United States has tripled - from 7 million asthma patients in 1980 to over 20 million today. One in eight children suffers from asthma. Of the 20 million, over half (11 million) do not have their asthma under control. As a result, 12 people die each day because of a disease that has been called 'very manageable' by Surgeon General Vice Admiral Richard H. Carmona.
The cost of asthma is very high. Among children ages 5 to 17, asthma accounts for an annual loss of more than 10 million school days per year and more hospitalizations than any other childhood disease For adults, asthma is the fourth-leading cause of work loss, resulting in 9 million lost work days each year. Each day asthma patients are responsible for 5,000 emergency department visits. According to ACEP physicians, 17 percent of children who are seen in hospital emergency departments are there for an asthmatic episode.
Heath care expenditures for asthma are estimated to be in excess of $6.2 billion - nearly 1 percent of the total U.S. health care costs. Experts say that greater education and awareness of the proper treatment and management of asthma could reduce health care costs by $500 million a year, and result in 50,000 fewer hospitalizations.
There are effective treatments that can help patients prevent symptoms from occurring in the first place. Experts know that asthma control could reduce the impact that the disease has on people's lives and reduce the risk of attacks or symptoms that require emergency care.
"ACEP encourages people with asthma to talk with their regular provider about proper asthma management, and keep an eye out for asthma warning signs, so they can lead healthier and happier lives," adds Dr.Stauffer.
