Asthma remains in top 10 causes of ER visits in Baguio hospital, expert says

By Carlito C. Dar

Friday 17th of August 2012

BAGUIO CITY, Aug. 17 (PIA) - - Health experts advise people with asthma to learn how to properly manage their disease and avoid what triggers this, such as irritants and allergens for them to prevent frequent and expensive visits to hospitals for medication.

Dr. Ray Suanding of Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC), in a Department of Health (DOH)- led kapihan forum here last week, disclosed that asthma remains to be in the top 10 causes of patients' visit at the emergency room (ER) of their hospital and is within the top 20 causes of morbidity(sickness) in its medicine department, especially in the pediatric ward.

According to Suanding, asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that is characterized by various recurring symptoms.It is a common and long-time disease that has a genetic and environmental factor.

Asthma is common to both gender, young and old, especially on patients where there is a family history of asthma, Suanding added.

He explained they are educating patients on how to properly manage their disease to avoid emergency room visits, medication and hospitalization, which is expensive.

“Asthma is related to hypersensitivity, such as in cold weather, and is responsive to triggers which include smoke, dust, stress, some medicines, some kind of food, and even house dust mites or cockroaches," Suanding stressed. Thus, people with asthma should avoid these triggers, he added.

He also advised asthmatic patients to learn how to properly use their inhalers or sprays and if possible they should use gadgets that could monitor their lung function such as a peak respiratory flow meter, which could guide them when to take or to increase or decrease their medication.

The forum aimed to advocate health events and issues this August, which includes Asthma Week, observed every August 16 to 20. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)