The National Asthma Council Australia (NAC) says National Asthma Week (1-7 September) is the perfect time to help educate patients to focus on treating inflammation, not just asthma symptoms.
“Asthma is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in Australia and we need to empower patients so they can make the best decisions to help manage their asthma.
“We can do this by helping them to understand that their asthma management isn't just about relieving symptoms, it's about treating what's causing them.
“National Asthma Week coincides with the start of peak pollen season in Australia, so it is the ideal time to reinforce this message,” said Dr Brett Montgomery, Chair of the National Asthma Council Australia Guidelines Committee.
Asthma guidelines changed last year and the latest update of the National Asthma Council’s Australian Asthma Handbook states that no adult or adolescent should manage their asthma solely with a blue puffer.
Anti-inflammatory reliever (AIR) therapy taken as needed when symptoms occur is the recommended starting treatment for most people with asthma, and maintenance-and-reliever therapy (MART) is recommended for patients who need maintenance treatment.
“No adult or adolescent should be using short-acting beta2 agonists alone (SABA-only treatment) and the emphasis is now on embedding anti-inflammatory reliever (AIR-only) and maintenance-and-reliever therapy (MART) approaches as standard care for adults and adolescents,” he said.
Dr Montgomery said it is important for health professionals to also communicate to patients that if they are using a blue puffer more than two days a week on average, it could be a sign that their asthma isn't well controlled.
“Overuse of SABA increases the risk of asthma exacerbations and using 12 or more SABA canisters per year is associated with a significantly increased risk of asthma-related death.
“As health professionals, we need to recognise that patients may want to hold onto their SABAs, but it is up to us to ensure they understand the danger of a treatment that doesn’t deal with the underlying inflammation,” he said.
Dr Montgomery said that for some patients, this will require substantial education and behaviour changes. However, once the change has been made, the single-inhaler nature of these treatments means they are actually very simple. The challenge is only that they are different to what patients have become used to.
“To assist with this, the NAC recently released a new suite of resources including ‘key messages for patients’ that can assist GPs, pharmacists and nurses to show patients in plain language that the changes are backed by evidence and experts,” he said.
Dr Montgomery also pointed to recent research published in BMJ Open and the MJA that showed worsening asthma control in Australia, with widespread SABA overuse and inhaled corticosteroid underuse.
“While there are enormous gaps in care, there is also scope for optimism, because a transition from SABA relievers to anti-inflammatory relievers can make a huge difference,” he said.
The National Asthma Council is the leading national authority on asthma care, leading the improvement of asthma care and management in Australia.
For further information or an interview with a National Asthma Council Australia spokesperson, please contact:
Donna Le Page, Le Page PR
Mobile: 0429 825 703 or Email: [email protected]
The National Asthma Council Australia is a collaboration of four member organisations (APNA, ASCIA, PSA and RACGP) and the national trusted authority for asthma knowledge. We set and disseminate the standards for asthma care through our responsive and evidence-based asthma guidelines - the Australian Asthma Handbook and resources for primary health care professionals. Our Sensitive Choice program empowers consumers to identify asthma and allergy-aware products and services.
