Manisa Celal Bayar University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Chest Diseases, in collaboration with Manisa Provincial Health Directorate, organized an event on the occasion of World Asthma Day.

The event, held at the Chest Diseases Clinic Hall of Hafsa Sultan Hospital, included informative sessions conducted by Prof. Dr. Ayşın Şakar Coşkun, the Head of the Department of Chest Diseases at Manisa Celal Bayar University Faculty of Medicine, aimed at educating asthma patients and their families.

Following consultations, the theme of this year's World Asthma Day was determined as "Education Empowers Asthma: Knowledge is the Key." Various activities were organized within the framework of World Asthma Day for physicians from various specialties, pharmacists, nurses, and patients to enhance their knowledge through current asthma education.

Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by the narrowing of the airways within the lungs due to non-microbial inflammation.

It is known that globally there are 350 million asthma patients, and more than 400,000 deaths occur annually due to asthma-related complications. In Turkey, according to the 2017 "Turkey Household Health Survey: Prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases Risk Factors," it was found that 6.9% of adults aged 15 and over had received a diagnosis of asthma from a physician, with a prevalence of 8.7% in women and 5.0% in men. According to data published by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) in 2022, respiratory system diseases ranked third among the causes of death with 13.5%, and 0.3% of these deaths were due to asthma.

What are the symptoms of asthma?

Asthma presents itself with symptoms such as recurrent and episodic shortness of breath, wheezing or whistling sounds during breathing, tightness in the chest, and coughing. In addition to evaluating symptoms for correct diagnosis, performing respiratory function tests and demonstrating reversible airway obstruction are important.

Can asthma be treated?

The aim of asthma treatment is to control symptoms and enable patients to lead a normal life. Administering appropriate medication therapies according to the severity of the disease, patient compliance with prescribed treatments, avoiding asthma triggers, and treating concomitant diseases together contribute to controlling asthma symptoms.

One of the most significant innovations in international and national asthma diagnosis and treatment guidelines in recent years is the recommendation that "rescue medications should not be used alone in asthma treatment, and inhaler corticosteroids, the main therapeutic agents, should be used." With regular treatment, a significant proportion of asthma patients can continue their daily lives without any restrictions, including work and school.

Most asthma medications are administered through inhalation, providing targeted therapeutic effects with fewer side effects. It is crucial to use these devices (inhalers) correctly to ensure effective treatment.

What should asthmatic patients do to keep their asthma under control?

Among the factors that make asthma control difficult are incorrect and irregular use of medications, exposure to respiratory tract infections, allergens, tobacco smoke, and chemicals.

Studies have shown that patients using their medications as prescribed by their doctors, quitting smoking, losing weight in obese patients, adopting a healthy and balanced diet, engaging in regular exercise, and maintaining clean indoor air help facilitate asthma control. Identifying factors that exacerbate asthma symptoms, avoiding these factors, and maintaining regular follow-up for treatment are important in achieving control.

What is the importance of education in asthma?

Research has shown that many asthma patients lack detailed knowledge about their condition. Understanding the disease is crucial for patients to manage it effectively; therefore, patients should be educated on various aspects of the disease, including what asthma is, factors that exacerbate the disease and how to prevent them, what to do during asthma attacks, what medications are used in treatment, how to use these medications, and their side effects.

In this context, every year, on World Asthma Day, the Ministry of Health Public Health General Directorate in collaboration with the Turkish Thoracic Society and the Turkish National Allergy and Clinical Immunology Association organizes education and awareness events for the community and healthcare professionals.