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Lead Articles
New national spirometry training course
December
2007
Australia’s first national spirometry training course for GPs and practice nurses was launched by the NAC in November 2007.
More than 30 medical practitioners working with the Australian Defence Forces attended the inaugural workshop held in Melbourne.
Following the model of the NAC‘s highly successful A-Team® asthma education program, the spirometry training course will be offered to GPs and practice nurses through Divisions of General Practice across Australia. More...
For peak flow monitoring the eyes have it
November 2007
When it comes to asthma monitoring, the eye is the key; according to Associate Professor Helen Reddel, who has spent years researching and refining a new peak expiratory flow chart.
The new chart, which is available from the National Asthma Council Australia and Woolcock Institute of Medical Research websites, has been designed to enable easy identification of changes in lung function and to overcome the confusion caused by the disparity of charts in circulation. More...
CFC Free and clear
October 2007
From the beginning of 2008 all asthma and COPD inhalers in Australia will be either dry powder or will use HFA propellant.
The National Asthma Council Australia has welcomed the news that Australia’s last CFC asthma inhaler, Serevent Metered Dose Inhaler, will be discontinued from December 31, 2007.
According to the Council, which led the charge for the discontinuation of CFC containing inhalers, the phasing out of CFCs in asthma inhalers has been handled carefully and gradually to ensure that patients have ongoing access to their medications.
In the case of Serevent MDI, the green-coloured inhaler which is used to deliver symptom controller (or Long-Acting Beta-Agonist) medication, patients will still be able to use the same medication delivered via the green-coloured Accuhaler, which is CFC-free. More..
Asthma and allergic rhinitis - an important link to consider
September 2007
For those people who suffer from asthma and allergic rhinitis, spring is a time to be aware of allergen exposure. Effective asthma management involves accurate recognition and appropriate treatment of allergic rhinitis as well. Alone, allergic rhinitis can significantly affect individuals’ daily activities and impair quality of life; when it occurs in a person with asthma, it contributes to airway symptoms and must be considered in the management plan. More...
New Defence asthma standards
August 2007
People with intermittent or mild persistent asthma are now eligible to apply for the Australian Defence Forces following a revision of the medical entry standards.
Respiratory physician Professor Lou Irving, Group Captain, RAAF Specialist Reserves, and key driver of the change, joined Dr Brendan Nelson, Minister for Defence, in announcing the new standards on 27 July. More...
Asthma Action Plan ‘Library’ Launched
July 2007
Earlier this month a comprehensive on-line library of downloadable Written Asthma Action Plans was launched by the National Asthma Council Australia. The new library, located on the National Asthma Council Australia’s website provides quick access to a selection of the most reputable plans currently available in Australia today, as well as links to several international options. More...
Patient-centred Health Care Resource
June 2007
Practical ways to incorporate the principles of patient-centred health care into every day practice are the focus of a new discussion paper published this month by the National Asthma Council Australia.
The paper, Patient-centred health care in primary care: an overview, will be of particular interest to general practitioners, allied health professionals and community pharmacists.
It highlights the principles of patient-centred health care and provides practical examples of how primary care professionals can make a difference by enhancing their patient-centred focus. Each example is supported with real patient case studies.
The paper has relevance to all primary health care patients and is not restricted to asthma. More...
World Asthma Day Roundup
May
2007
A new information campaign urging all Australians suffering from asthma to talk to their doctor about a written Asthma Action Plan was launched on May 1 by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Brett Mason. The National Asthma Council Australia (NAC) Chairman, Professor John Wilson, introduced Senator Mason who outlined the two-month, print and radio campaign.
The key messages of the awareness campaign are: ‘Plan to stay symptom free’ and ‘You can with an asthma action plan’. More...
World Asthma Day May 1, 2007
April
2007
World Asthma Day (WAD) takes place each year on the first Tuesday in May. Initiated by the Global Initiative for Asthma in 1998, the National Asthma Council Australia (NAC) embraces WAD and marks the occasion to highlight the need for ongoing care and vigilance in managing asthma.
The Asthma Foundations around Australia also take the opportunity on World Asthma Day to announce asthma initiatives or highlight areas of endeavour in asthma in their otherwise busy calendar of activities. More...
Management of asthma and bronchitis in the elderly - we can do better
March
2007
The National Asthma Council Australia is calling for better management of all asthma and bronchitis in the elderly, following the recent release of the latest asthma death statistics by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
In 2005, asthma killed 318 Australians – seven more than the number of deaths recorded in the previous year.
People aged 70 plus accounted for 191 of the deaths recorded, while those aged 40 to 60 years accounted for 95 deaths. More...
Asthma and allergic rhinitis - make the connection
February 2007
The National Asthma Council Australia and the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy have released a new consumer information guide, Allergic rhinitis and your asthma: What you should know, specifically aimed at helping people with asthma and allergic rhinitis breathe easier.
Hay fever is the most obvious and easily recognised type of allergic rhinitis and it is particularly prevalent during spring and right through the warmer months. More...
Back to school asthma epidemic looms
January 2007
As Aussie kids get set to head back to the classroom, the National Asthma Council Australia is warning parents, teachers and health professionals to prepare for a corresponding spike in asthma emergencies.
According to National Asthma Council spokesperson, Professor Peter van Asperen from The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, the ‘February Epidemic’ is a well documented phenomenon that will hit in a couple of weeks. More...
