|
For the National Asthma Council Australia the highlight of 2006
was the launch of the sixth edition of the |
Lead Articles
Asthma Bushfire Warning
December 2006
For people with asthma living in Victoria and other States affected by bushfires, it is time to be on high alert.
Smoke and increased air pollution from fires can trigger asthma symptoms, such as wheezing, coughing or chest tightness.If you have asthma, or if you are responsible for a child or elderly person with asthma, be aware of the risk and be prepared in case fire strikes unexpectedly. More...
Asthma Management Handbook 2006 Launch
November 2006
New asthma management guidelines for Australia were launched on November 14 by The Hon. Christopher Pyne, Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister for Health and Ageing.
The asthma management guidelines, published as the National Asthma Council Australia’s Asthma Management Handbook, are the gold standard of practice for asthma management in Australia.
They are updated regularly to accommodate changes in asthma management, based on the latest medical evidence, and new treatments that become available as well as reflecting current areas of consumer concern. More...
Allergic Rhinitis and the Patient with Asthma
October 2006
The National Asthma Council Australia and the
Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy have
launched a new set of resources focussing on the management of
allergic rhinitis in people with asthma. According to Associate Professor
Mimi Tang, chairperson of the expert working group
responsible for writing the new resources, the
prevalence of allergic rhinitis is increasing.
More...
Want a pet but have asthma?
September 2006
The National Asthma Council Australia is setting the
record straight on pet allergy and provides some survival strategies
for pet lovers with asthma.
Eighty per cent of the 2.2 million Australians with asthma have positive allergy test results and it seems pets are the second most common trigger, after the house dust mite. More...
Asthma link to sleep apnoea in young women
August 2006
Recent American research has shown that young women
with asthma are twice as likely to have symptoms of obstructive
sleep apnoea - a condition that often goes undetected in women -
compared with those who do not have asthma. University of Cincinnati
and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center researchers found
that about 21 percent of young adult women with asthma experienced
habitual snoring, the primary symptom of obstructive sleep apnoea.
More...
Beware the stress of a winter cold
July 2006
Common colds are quite different to
influenza, which is a more serious illness. Many
people use the term 'flu when they are really
describing a common cold.
If you have a cold and notice that you are using
your reliever a bit more often than usual it could
be a sign that you have worsening asthma. It may be
a good time to check your Written Asthma Action
Plan. More...
"COPD and Asthma – What’s the difference and why does it matter?"
June 2006
At the recent General Practitioner Conference and
Exhibition (GPCE) held in Sydney from the 26 -28th May 2006, the
National Asthma Council Australia presented the workshop "COPD and
Asthma – What’s the difference and why does it matter?” on behalf of
the Australian Lung Foundation (ALF). The workshop content was
developed in consultation with the ALF Executive, NAC and COPD and
asthma experts Professor Justin Beilby, Dr H. John Fardy and
Professor Peter Frith. Twelve, hour-long workshops were held during
the three day conference. More...
Patient-Centred Health Care
May 2006
The National Asthma Council Australia convened
the Patient-Centred Health Care Workshop in November
2005 to bring together stakeholder groups in chronic
disease. The purpose of this workshop was to explore
the benefits of patient-centred health care and team
management of chronic disease, and how to bring this
about in Australia. More...
World Asthma Day May 2, 2006
April 2006
For World Asthma Day, the National Asthma Council Australia
is urging the over 2.2 million Australians with asthma to prepare, or
update, their written Asthma Action Plans. The theme of World
Asthma Day this year is ‘the unmet needs of asthma’ and, one of the
most common unmet needs in Australia is the need for a written
Asthma Action Plan. More...
NAC Hosts Korean Visitors
March 2006
During early March the National
Asthma Council had the opportunity to showcase the
Australian approach to asthma management for
visitors from Korea Ms Yun-Hee Yang, PR Director,
GSK Korea and Mr Sean Choi, staff writer, The Chosun
Daily newspaper in Seoul. Initiatives such as the
Asthma Management Handbook, the 3+ Visit Plan,
Written Asthma Action Plans were reviewed and
discussed in depth.
More...
Smoking and asthma
February 2006
Despite the known additional health risks, just as many people
with asthma smoke as people without asthma. Rates of smoking
among people with asthma are highest in young adults.1 Overall,
around 40% of children who have asthma live with smokers and are
likely to be exposed to passive smoke. For people with asthma
who do smoke and for smokers around people with asthma,
providing support to quit smoking is vital. The introduction of
new graphic health warnings on Australian cigarettes packs from
March 2006 may provide an extra impetus.
More...
Webcast Remains Online
January 2006
The
National Asthma Council’s popular national webcast on asthma
management titled; ‘Combination Therapy – A question of
balance’, will remain available on-line in early 2006, to ensure
as many general practitioners, pharmacists and health
professionals have the opportunity to review the latest
information at their leisure. And still gain points!
More...
