Asthma

What is asthma?
Asthma is a serious condition in which the small airways of the affected person's lungs suddenly constrict when they are exposed to certain triggers, such as dust mites,pollen, exercise, or even dry air. During an asthma 'attack', the person's airway lining rapidly becomes inflamed and swollen, the muscles around the airways tighten, and excess mucus is produced as the body reacts to the trigger. This reaction causes reduced airflow into and out of the lungs, and the person has to gasp for breath. Asthma is a major public health problem affecting 52 million people around the world, including 2million Australians and 15 million Americans. The disease is usually life-long and each year claims around 400 lives in Australia and 4,500 lives in the US.Recent studies have shown that the incidence of asthma in Australian children is increasing. The disease has a major impact on the quality of life of asthmatics and their families, with many sufferers requiring daily medication and modifications in their lifestyle. In addition to the human price, asthma is a major component of the cost of the healthcare system. For example, the cost to the US healthcare system is in excess of US$15 billion per year.

How is asthma currently managed?

The effective diagnosis, monitoring and management of asthma remain key challenges for doctors and asthmatics. The primary method currently used to diagnose asthma has remained unchanged for many years, with a diagnosis arrived at through a detailed history and physical examination of the patient. Exercise challenge tests and methacholine inhalation tests are procedures used most frequently in clinical laboratories to evaluate airway responsiveness. While these tests can indicate the presence of asthma, they are not sensitive or specific enough for asthma, nor do they give a precise or objective measure of the seriousness of the patient's condition. As a consequence, under-diagnosis and misdiagnosis of asthma continue to be serious medical issues that impact extensively onpeople's health and quality of life.There are a number of therapeutic options to treat the symptoms of asthma, including inhalers that expand the airways, and preventative measures such as anti-inflammatory medications. The absence of an accurate test not only hinders the diagnosis of asthma, but also makes it difficult for doctors to monitor the severity of their patients' asthma to ensure they receive the most appropriate dose of medication. Many asthma sufferers have poor control of their disease, placing an over reliance on bronchodilators to control their asthma symptoms. At the other extreme, many people with asthma have few outward symptoms and can become less diligent with their asthma management. Much of the deterioration in the quality of life of asthma sufferers could be prevented through correct early diagnosis of the disease, appropriate treatment, andeffective ongoing monitoring. Pharmaxis is committed to meeting this medical need.

Asthma stories
To learn more about what life is like for people living with asthma select from one of the following links: - American Asthma Foundation - Australian Asthma Foundation - Better Health (Australia)