2023-04-22 04:00:53
- Climate change is becoming more common throughout the world and among the most affected are patients with asthma.
- In Mexico it is estimated that 7% of the population suffers from asthma.
- Between 20 and 73% of people do not have an adequate diagnosis of the disease.
If something has been observed around the planet, it is the change in the seasons. Now the summers are hotter and the winters are colder. Climate change is more damaging than some think because it is people with conditions like asthma who suffer the most.
Climate change, one of those responsible?
In this vein, more and more international organizations are raising their voices. As recently as 2019, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) formally declared climate change a global health emergency.
Although it is not an isolated case because previously other international organizations showed similar positions. The same thing happened with the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians because they recognized it as a health emergency.
Climate change and asthma, how are they related?
Spring, for example, brings with it natural events such as the pollination of plants and trees, as well as a constant change in climate between humid and warm. This situation can cause people to confuse some respiratory diseases, such as asthma, with a seasonal allergy.
To put it in context, it is estimated that in Mexico at least 7 percent of the population has asthma. It is also a number that is increasing due to the underdiagnosis of the condition. In fact, according to studies carried out, it is known that between 20 and 73 percent of people do not have an adequate diagnosis to control their disease. In the end it means that between 5 and 10 percent of patients evolve to a severe phase.
There is no cure for asthma, but it can be controlled.
Asthma is a chronic disease of the respiratory tract that depends on various risk factors, both genetic and environmental. It can present in recurring episodes of symptoms that are caused by inflammation, which obstructs the passage of air and causes difficulty breathing.
It is these people, especially those who do not have a diagnosis and a correct adherence to treatment, who can be most affected by the changes in season. While cold, dry air in winter can trigger an asthma attack, in spring, pollen and pollution levels can affect your airways as well.
The four guidelines to control asthma and recommended for those who suffer from this disease are:
- Identify and avoid as much as possible contact with asthma triggers.
- Manage your asthma to recognize the signs when it gets worse.
- Know what to do when asthma gets worse.
- Stick to the treatment recommended by your doctor.
Seeing a specialist in the presence of any of the symptoms is the only way to receive an adequate diagnosis and treatment that allows you to carry out daily activities normally. Depending on the type of asthma diagnosed and its severity, doctors may consider the use of different types of treatments ranging from inhaled corticosteroids to biologics to help their patients control their disease.
Also read:
WHO issues an alert: “Climate change can affect mental health”
Climate change could cause the worst dengue epidemic in history
Climate change is already a global health emergency
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