Dr K Anand Babu of Government Rajaji TB hospital said inhaler is the lifeline of asthma patients. Many patients stop using it after getting some relief due to social stigma, he said.
He said many patients visited the hospital with severe breathing difficulties after discontinuing inhaler. Consultant pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist Dr Raj Thilak of Sara Pulmocare said the medicine reaches the lung directly through inhaler. It does not get mixed with the blood, so there is no chance for side-effects.
“The amount of medicine in the inhaler is also 20 times lesser than a tablet,” he added. People irrespective of age can use it and there will be no associated weight gain.
Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), a collaborative organisation of World Health Organisation (WHO), observes World Asthma Day every year. The theme of this year is “Closing gaps in asthma care”. Quoting WHO, Dr G Kamal of Swasam Asthma, Allergy and Respiratory centre said India has 4% to 20% of children down with asthma.
He advised parents to allow such children to involve in activities of their age and not to cause panic in them.