Share

Difficult asthma, difficult patient

People with difficult-to-control asthma are often not taking their anti-asthma medication as prescribed by their doctor, new study findings indicate.

Even when prescribed high doses of steroids, about 5% of adults with asthma remain difficult to control, with persistent symptoms and frequent flare-ups, Dr Liam G. Heaney at Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland, and colleagues have found.

They thus remain at high risk for fatal or near-fatal asthma attacks. While not taking medication as prescribed is believed to contribute to this problem, its prevalence is unknown.

The study
To find out, Heaney's group studied 182 patients referred to the Northern Ireland Regional Difficult Asthma Service. Non-adherence to anti-asthma therapy was not suspected as a major issue, and all patients denied not taking their medicine at their first visit to the clinic.

Nonetheless, it was found that 35% of these patients had filled no more than half their prescriptions for inhaled steroids, and these patients were more likely to have been hospitalised at least 3 times in the previous year.

Women more lax
Women were most apt to be lax in taking their asthma controller medication as prescribed, the researchers note in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Among 51 asthma patients who were supposed to be using oral prednisolone, blood tests showed that 45% were non-adherent.

After being confronted about their prescription data, 88% admitted their poor compliance.

"One could speculate that if (patients) took regular preventative therapy (as prescribed) their asthma would probably improve substantially," Heaney and colleagues conclude. - (Reuters Health, October 2009)

SOURCE: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, November 1, 2009.

Read more:
Asthma Centre
Neurotic? It could lead to asthma

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE