The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study has estimated that India is home to over 30 million asthmatics, accounting for 13.09% of the global burden. When it comes to mortality, India accounts for over 42% of all global asthma deaths, said Dr Rahul Rathore, pulmonologist, Charak Hospital, in a press statement on Friday.
“Population-based studies done globally, have estimated that 20% to 70% of patients with asthma remain undiagnosed and hence untreated,” he said.
The various contributory factors for under-diagnosis and under-treated asthma include lack of awareness, poor adherence to inhalation therapy, illiteracy, and social stigma. The patients often overlook early symptoms which eventually lands them in a more critical condition.
“According to the Global Asthma Network (GAN) study, 82% of patients with early symptoms and 70% of patients with severe asthma remain undiagnosed in India,” he said.
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that causes difficulty in breathing, chest pain, cough, and wheezing. The disease affects the airways of the lungs, causing chronic inflammation.