The Danger of Uncontrolled Asthma: "Many Patients Think That Choking is Normal"

José Antonio Sau

The Pulmonology Service of the Virgen de la Victoria University Clinical Hospital celebrated this Tuesday, as every year, the World Asthma Day, the most prevalent chronic inflammatory disease in Málaga, Andalusia, and the country, "ahead of COPD and other pathologies," says the head of the Severe Asthma Unit of the complex, Dr. Alicia Padilla, who warns of the importance of controlling this condition and relates this fact to the underdiagnosis of the same. Why does this happen? "Underdiagnosis is a significant problem because many patients normalize their symptoms and think that gasping, wheezing, and coughing is normal," she says.

"These patients do not go to the doctor and are not diagnosed," she explains. Or, on the other hand, "it may be that the asthma is mild, but because they do not take their treatment properly, they are poorly controlled and eventually end up in emergencies and have to take oral corticosteroids," says Dr. Padilla, who recalls that the Asthma Unit deals with the most severe form of the pathology and the one that is not controlled.

Underdiagnosis

The expert estimates that one in four people from Málaga does not know they have asthma, thus rating underdiagnosis at 25%. "Uncontrolled asthma will lead to the patient limiting their physical activity, not being able to have a normal life, gasping, having chest pain, and coughing. In the end, those not controlled end up in emergencies, taking oral corticosteroids with the repercussions that has," she details, to remind that the use of anti-inflammatory inhaled treatments is essential. This year's motto is precisely that "all patients have access to anti-inflammatory inhaled treatments."

"Uncontrolled asthma will lead to the patient limiting their physical activity, not being able to have a normal life, gasping, having chest pain, and coughing."

Alicia Padilla

Head of the Severe Asthma Unit at the Clinic

The head of the Pulmonology Service at the Clinic, José Luis Velasco, highlights that one in ten people from Málaga has asthma, while the president of the Association of Respiratory Patients of Málaga (ALERMA), Jesús de la Hera, also a patient of this pathology, explained that he was "one of those patients who was wandering around with wheezing at night, waking up, respiratory failure and, well, after being diagnosed and having an inhaled treatment of corticosteroids and bronchodilator, taking it every day morning and night, I have it under control."

According to De la Hera, he came to think that these symptoms were normal. "Waking up at two in the morning, these wheezes, you have to concentrate on breathing, you end up exhausted, leaning on the bed and you fall asleep, but the next day you are tired. Night comes and, when it's time to go to bed, you are already thinking about what is going to happen," he details, to clarify that three years ago, thanks to the Patient School, he listened to a patient talk about what happened to her and he realized that was what was happening to him. Now, with the treatment, he feels "great."

Accreditation

The hospital, by the way, has achieved the certification of excellence in high complexity by the Spanish Society of Respiratory Pathology (SEPAR).

The new consultations launched last year in the hospitals Valle del Guadalhorce and Benalmádena (centers belonging to the university hospital complex) have attended to more than 1,800 patients with severe asthma through a single-act model, thus consolidating care in their reference population areas, avoiding trips to the capital. Also, these single-act consultations allow all tests and diagnoses to be carried out in one morning.

The service is currently developing eight clinical trials as a research group of IBIMA.

Activities

On the occasion of World Asthma Day, the center has organized, as every year, a series of events aimed at improving the quality of life and training of users. Among the activities planned, there is a celebration of an informational table with the association Alerma and a practical workshop on the use of inhalers.

The traditional "Breathe Better" Walk will also be held, which reaches its eighth edition on May 9, at 10:30 am, with a route from the Primero de Mayo roundabout, in front of the Diputación, passing through the Antonio Banderas Seafront. Registrations are carried out from 10:00 to 10:30 am at the starting point.

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