Cold induced asthma cases on the rise

Rawalpindi

The number of cases with cold induced asthma in this region of the country is on the rise after the setting in of extreme cold weather though the health threat that may be life threatening is not being taken seriously by majority of population.

Any kind of asthma can cause death and it should not be taken non-seriously. It is documented that maximum number of unexpected deaths are caused by asthma around the globe, said Additional Medical Superintendent (Administration) at Holy Family Hospital Dr. Tariq Masood Niazi while talking to ‘The News’ on Sunday.

He explained that cold induced asthma can be termed as allergic asthma. He said that cold air when inhaled acts like that of an allergen. The existing cold and dry air causes dryness in the respiratory tract because of which bacteria can easily enter the body through inhalation, said Dr. Niazi.

He said that the number of cold induced asthma is increasing sharply and the influx of patients with the disease along with other cold related infections at the three teaching hospitals has increased to a significant extent.

“Certainly there are precautionary measures that need to be taken to avoid cold induced asthma and other seasonal infections,” he said while responding to a query. He said that hot fluids like green tea, soup and tea can be taken to minimise bad effects of cold and dry air while unnecessary exposure to cold outside homes should be avoided.

If it is necessary to go outside home in the evening or night or early in the morning, one should cover nose, mouth and head properly with warm clothing along with the body. “The patients who are already suffering with any kind of asthma should take steam inhalation two to three times a day to avoid dryness of the respiratory tract,” he said.

He added that people should understand that to avoid cold induced asthma and other cold related infections, dryness of the respiratory tract needs to be removed. If it is not possible for one to take hot fluids regularly, one should increase fluid intake simply, he advised.

Chairman Young Doctors Association Punjab Dr. Muhammad Haroon, a medical specialist, expressed to ‘The News’ that both the public sector and private healthcare facilities have received hundreds of patients with cold induced asthma that is not being diagnosed and treated properly.

During December only, the HFH received 380 cases with the disease, Benazir Bhutto Hospital received 450 cases, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences received 688 cases, Federal Government Policlinic received 300 cases while CDA Hospital registered nearly 200 patients with cold induced asthma.

He alleged that the allied hospitals in Rawalpindi do not have even equipment to diagnose the disease while they also lack medicines for proper management of the cases. “The allied hospitals do not have inhalers nor they have spirometry, the equipment that is used to diagnose intensity of asthma,” he said.

When asked, Dr Niazi admitted that public sector hospitals do not have spirometry and inhalers. “We manage patients with asthmatic problems and other like respiratory problems with nebulizers,” he said. He added that inhalers if needed in emergency cases are arranged through local purchase.

Posted in: Islamabad