Breathe easy: Stay warm or risk asthma attack, say doctors

Over 100,000 suffering from the respiratory illness in K-P.

PESHAWAR:

As the winds get colder and pollution gets denser, the number of people suffering from asthma and other respiratory diseases is on the rise in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

According to the provincial health department’s health information system report, more than 107,064 patients from K-P were suffering from asthma from January to October 2013. Swat topped the list with 12,572 asthma patients, followed by 9,812 in Swabi, 7,504 in Charsadda, 7,189 in Mardan, 6,193 in Mansehra, 5,960 in Peshawar, 5,753 in Haripur, 5,716 in DI Khan, 5,518 in Lakki Marwat, 3,989 in Malakand, 3,650 in Chitral, 3,472 people suffered from asthma in Bannu and 3,317 in Lower Dir. Lowest number of cases were reported from Tank (895) and 1,332 in Hangu.



Talking to The Express Tribune, Professor Dr Gohar Rehman said asthma was a chronic illness involving the airways in the lungs – these airways or bronchial tubes allow air to enter and leave the lungs.

He said the lungs of most people suffering from the ailment were inflamed. The muscles around the airways tighten when something like dust triggers the symptoms. This makes it difficult for the patient to inhale and exhale, making the patient cough, wheeze and be out of breath.

According to Dr Rehman, people with a family history of allergies or asthma were more prone to developing the disease. A majority of children under the age of five develop asthma. Many people who are diagnosed with asthma also have allergies – this is called asthma allergy.

He suggested that asthma patients should stay warm and remain indoors in the morning and evening. He said that parents and their children should be bundled up in sweaters, socks and keep their heads warm before stepping outside.

The health department’s media representative, Professor Dr Mukhtar Zaman told The Express Tribune that patients suffering from the respiratory illness were likely to have severe asthma attacks due to the plummeting temperatures in the province.

He said that asthma could affect people of any age group and was not restricted to children or the elderly. He added that cold water and pollution were the main causes for the increasing number of people suffering from respiratory illnesses in the province. He advised people to keep warm and brave the winter.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2014.