Singapore, 3 May 2018 - Asthma prevalence has been rising in developed countries, particularly for children than in adults. Although asthma cannot be cured, the symptoms can be controlled.
With appropriate control, asthma patients can still lead healthy and active lives. Asthma tends to present in early life. It is a chronic disease involving the airways in the lungs, caused by both generic predisposition as well as environmental factors.
World Health Organisation says about 235 million people are suffering from asthma.
On 1st May, the world commemorates World Asthma Day, with the aim to improve asthma awareness and care globally.
Dr Alvin Ng Choon Yong, Respiratory Medicine Specialist, Farrer Park Hospital agrees on emphasising the importance in creating public awareness of asthma. “With increase in awareness of asthma, we hope more patients with symptoms will come forth to be tested. By receiving effective treatment it will help them continue to live a healthy life.” says Dr Alvin Ng.
Dr Ng adds that as some asthmatic children grow older, they might think that their asthma has been cured because their airway has grown larger and they feel better. However, they often continue to suffer from airway inflammation and their asthma control will eventually worsen.
“It is vital for asthma patients to continue their asthma treatment and do regular follow-up and assessments.” continues Dr Alvin Ng.
Asthma treatment in general, includes a preventer inhaler (an inhaled corticosteroid) and reliever inhaler (a beta agonist inhaler such as Ventolin). It is also important to reduce or remove environmental triggers such as house dust mites and pets should the patient suffers from these allergies.
While allergies tend to last a lifetime, Farrer Park Hospital now has specific treatments targeted to control these allergies. The treatment is known as Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT). Some patients using SLIT therapy experience continued relief from allergy symptoms, but some may relapse after discontinuing SLIT treatment.
“Some asthma patients are not able to distinguish between preventer and reliever inhalers. Many tend to rely only on reliever inhalers when they suffer from asthma attacks.” Dr Ng says. “Without the use of preventer inhalers, their asthma may worsen, and some might develop life threatening asthma attacks requiring ICU management and mechanical ventilation. As such, asthma patients need to be on regular preventer inhalers to sustain good asthma control,” he continues.
Farrer Park Hospital is the latest private tertiary acute care hospital in Singapore. The facility includes the Farrer Park Medical Centre with specialist clinics, medical technology, nuclear medicine and radiology services to support a wide range of surgical specialties in oncology, orthopedic, gastroenrology, and cardiology. Designed by healthcare professionals and conveniently built above an underground train station, the hospital is a carefully created environment to enable modern yet holistic care for all its patients.
The hospital shares numerous calming gardens and inspiring art works with its related hotel, One Farrer Hotel. Synergies between the hospital and hotel provide families and visitors with enhanced experiences in food and beverage, choices of accommodation, lifestyle programs and conference facilities. Farrer Park Hospital and One Farrer Hotel are part of The Farrer Park Company Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based company.
For more information, please visit www.farrerpark.com.
Farrer Park Hospital
Email: [email protected]
