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...
Content Updated 2006
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