Do you just have a cough, or is that tickle in your throat the sign of something more serious? Abu Dhabi Week looks at asthma sufferers in the capital
Abu Dhabi-based teenager Ali Al Shamsi dribbled the ball down the football pitch, he shoots, he scores.
The teenager raised his hands, not in celebration but to his mouth, as he was overcome by a sudden fit of coughing and struggled to catch his breath.
That night, Ali took cough medicine, but it did not help. He found it difficult to sleep and as a result couldn’t concentrate in college the next day. The teenager believed it was a waste of time to go and see the doctor about a cough; his form tutor had other ideas and insisted he go.
Harley Street Medical Centre’s Dr Hady Jerak diagnosed Ali as suffering from asthma.
“Often people ignore a cough and think that it will just go away in time, or treat it with self-prescribed medicine,” said Dr Jerak. “Actually many people living in Abu Dhabi suffer from asthma and are unaware of this. Coughing is a sign of the disease and as such it should never be ignored, always seek a doctor’s opinion.
“Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. Chronically inflamed airways are hyper-responsive; they become obstructed and airflow is limited when the airways are exposed to various triggers,” he said.
Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases, with an estimated 300 million individuals affected worldwide. And its prevalence is increasing, especially among children.
People with asthma experience symptoms when their airways tighten, inflame or fill with mucus. Common complaints include having a recurrent cough, shortness of breathe, wheezing, and chest tightness or chest pain.
Usually sufferers don’t all have all the listed symptoms, some people find they only suffer from one or two, but it’s important to treat even mild symptoms to prevent the condition worsening.
Sufferers may go for a long time without having any problems, to have occasional worsening of their condition into an asthma attack. For some exercise, viral infections or environment factors trigger it.
“The Abu Dhabi climate can be very hostile for asthma sufferers,” said Dr Jerak. “Sandstorms are behind many attacks, also we spend a lot of time indoors here in air-conditioned rooms. The AC is very dry and this is a harsh environment for people,” said Dr Jerak.
In the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, 155,379 individual required asthma care in 2010; 46 percent of these cases were under 15 years old.
The numbers of visits to health care facilities for asthma-related medical needs were 449,967; Emergency visits were about nine percent, of which 63 percent were paediatric visits, mostly (56 percent) in the first five years of age.
So what can be done to treat asthma? Dr Jerak offers this advice: “Try to avoid any triggers and take medication to control the asthma.
“Symptoms can be prevented by taking a rapid acting inhaler before strenuous exercise. Physical activity is a common cause of asthma attacks, but patients shouldn’t stop exercising.
“The following should be avoided; any food, drug or additive that is known to cause problems for the patient, smoking, dust mites, having furry animals in the bedroom, air filters, cockroaches and mold.
“It’s important to develop a partnership with your doctor. Patients tend to change doctors every time they get sick, thinking their doctor didn’t treat them well. Asthma is a chronic disease and staying with one doctor for treatment is vital,” Dr Jerak added.
Available treatments include:
Short active beta agonist – this medication should be always kept on the person and it is used to relieve the symptoms on the spot. It is an add on to the treatment.
Inhaled Corticosteroid or cortisone – since the major cause of asthma is the inflammation of the bronchial wall as the anti-inflammatory cortisone is a cornerstone in the treatment of asthma.
Long-term acting beta agonist (bronchodilator), can be used in addition to the cortisone
Leukotriene modifier – this decreases leukotriene in the body that is released as a reaction to triggers and they cause bronchial swelling.
Anti-Immunoglobulin E – this is reserved for severe cases that show a high immunoglobulin E in the blood
