ACCORDING TO noted chest specialist Dr JK Samaria, asthma is a disease of the civilized society and 5 to 7 per cent people are suffering from bronchial asthma in India.
Delivering a lecture on ‘Asthma: Cause, Prevention and Advanced Treatment’ in a scientific seminar organised at Indian Medical Association as part of the ongoing week long World Asthma Day celebrations here on Saturday afternoon, Dr Samaria , who is faculty member in TB and Respiratory Diseases Department at Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, said that air pollution and changing lifestyle were the main factors responsible for increasing cases of asthma in the country.
Dr Samaria, who conducted a survey on school kids in Varanasi, said that 24 per cent schoolgoing children were suffering from asthmatic allergy and 10 to 12 per cent allergy cases got converted into asthma cases.
He said consumption of junk and fast food was one of the main factors behind increasing cases of bronchial asthma as there were zero per cent anti-oxidants in these foods.
Dr Samaria, who is also Secretary of Indian Chest Society, informed that asthma was a disease of rich persons and that was why around 20 to 25 percent people were suffering from asthma in developed nations such as Australia and New Zealand. “People who are more attentive towards hygiene are more prone to asthma,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Dr Samaria, who is also Secretary of Indian Chest Society, informed that asthma was a disease of rich persons and that was why around 20 to 25 percent people were suffering from asthma in developed nations such as Australia and New Zealand. “People who are more attentive towards hygiene are more prone to asthma,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}He said that due to lack of awareness, the mortality rate of asthma was increasing in India.
“Both the physicians and common people should have proper awareness about asthma to control the disorder”, he said, adding, “Out of 1000 asthma patients, around 50 patients succumb to this infection”.
He said that asthma was 100 per cent controllable and one could lead a normal life through proper treatment. He expressed concern over lack of proper knowledge of inhalation and said that around 60 per cent doctors did not know the proper way of inhalation. He said that various advancements had been made in inhalers and now a single dose of inhaler was enough for a day.
Dr Samaria said that since asthma was a life-style disease, therefore one should have better control over daily habits to avoid asthmatic complications. He suggested the parents should not to get their wards exposed to air pollution as kids were more prone to asthma. Around 50 general practitioners and office-bearers of IMA were present on the occasion.