Pointing out that the number of asthma patients in the district was on the rise, pulmonologists on Tuesday said diagnosing the chronic disease and controlling it effectively was more important, even as they sought to clear many misconceptions regarding the use of steroids to treat the ailment.
Observing the World Asthma Day, an annual event organised by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) to improve asthma awareness and care, doctors said they have seen a steady increase in the number of asthma patients in the Coimbatore and many were hesitant to take steroids for the cure. World Asthma Day is usually observed on the first Tuesday of May.
"The WHO has estimated the prevalence of asthma among children between the age of five and 11 at 10%-15%, which is high," said the professor of thoracic medicine at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH), Dr S Keerthivasan.
"We are also seeing a rise in adults. We register 20 to 30 new patients every month at our weekly asthma clinic," he said. CMCH had conducted a free screening camp, where 25 to 30 were diagnosed.
Many pulmonologists said they do their best to bust myths associated with the disease. "Inhaled corticosteroid therapy (ICT) is best to manage asthma attack. For the effectiveness and safety of any treatment modality, optimal drug delivery is crucial. In the case of ICT, the drug reaches the inflamed airways directly in small doses, limiting the potential side-effects," said consultant pulmonologist at Chest Clinic, Coimbatore, Dr S Nagarajan.
"However, the word steroid immediately makes one conjure up images of people building muscles," said senior consultant, Pulmonology & Sleep Medicine, Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, Dr T Mohan Kumar.
Observing the World Asthma Day, an annual event organised by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) to improve asthma awareness and care, doctors said they have seen a steady increase in the number of asthma patients in the Coimbatore and many were hesitant to take steroids for the cure. World Asthma Day is usually observed on the first Tuesday of May.
"The WHO has estimated the prevalence of asthma among children between the age of five and 11 at 10%-15%, which is high," said the professor of thoracic medicine at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH), Dr S Keerthivasan.
"We are also seeing a rise in adults. We register 20 to 30 new patients every month at our weekly asthma clinic," he said. CMCH had conducted a free screening camp, where 25 to 30 were diagnosed.
Many pulmonologists said they do their best to bust myths associated with the disease. "Inhaled corticosteroid therapy (ICT) is best to manage asthma attack. For the effectiveness and safety of any treatment modality, optimal drug delivery is crucial. In the case of ICT, the drug reaches the inflamed airways directly in small doses, limiting the potential side-effects," said consultant pulmonologist at Chest Clinic, Coimbatore, Dr S Nagarajan.
"However, the word steroid immediately makes one conjure up images of people building muscles," said senior consultant, Pulmonology & Sleep Medicine, Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, Dr T Mohan Kumar.