ISLAMABAD: Health experts emphasized the need for public awareness to manage asthma effectively, highlighting changing lifestyles, increasing pollution, and smoking as major contributors to the disease.
Pulmonologist Dr. Rizwan Uppal told the media that asthma, a common chronic lung disease, is primarily caused by inflammation and tightening of the airway muscles. He emphasized the importance of inhalers as the safest treatment but notes serious reservations about their use in Pakistan.
Dr. Uppal stresses early symptoms, including shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, and coughing. He warns that despite asthma being controllable, many in Pakistan are unaware of its treatment, exacerbated by rising air pollution levels.
According to experts, global asthma-related deaths exceed 300 million annually. The first step in managing asthma is to identify and reduce exposure to triggers, with doctors advised to check patients’ inhaling techniques during clinic visits.
Senior Consultant Chest Physician Dr. Waqas Rasheed highlights societal misconceptions about asthma, with some considering it communicable. He notes around 12 percent of Pakistani schoolchildren suffer from asthma. Dr. Rasheed warns against seeking unproven cures, as they may exacerbate symptoms.
Dr. Rasheed also emphasizes the risk of occupational asthma among industrial workers due to inadequate workplace conditions. He expresses concern about rising asthma rates due to unchecked air pollution.
