Helping Patients With Asthma and Allergy Breathe Easier

Volume 56 - Issue 5 - May 2016

 

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) reports that 10 people a day die from asthma in the United States, and that asthma affects 24 million Americans, including 6.3 million under the age of 18.1 What’s more, upwards of 50 million Americans have some type of allergy, such as to pollen, latex, certain foods and drugs, and insects. 

According to epidemiologic statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, asthma accounts for 10.5 million visits to physician offices and another 1.8 million visits to emergency departments each year.2

And the rate of asthma and the rate of allergies are both climbing, despite advances in treatment and our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of these conditions.1

Because of the scope of these conditions and their broad impact on the health of Americans (not to mention the cost to the US health care system), the AAFA declares each May to be National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. In recognition, Consultant360 has covered several recent studies in the asthma, allergy, and immunology specialty, including one that found that antifungal therapy can improve symptoms of asthma and chronic sinusitis,3 one exploring whether yoga may help curtail symptoms and improve the quality of life for patients with asthma,4 and another investigating the connection between extreme heat and precipitation and the increase in hospitalizations for asthma exacerbation.5

But a single month each year isn’t enough to fully cover advances in allergy and asthma diagnosis and management, so we at Consultant are committed to bringing you clinical information online and in print throughout the year—for example, read this issue’s excellent review article on eosinophilic esophagitis beginning on page 412. And visit the online Allergy and Asthma Medical Resource Centers at Consultant360.com to read the latest news and clinical information to help you keep your patients with asthma and allergy breathing easy.

I welcome your comments. Send me an email at Editor@Consultant360.com, or call me toll-free at (800) 237-7285, extension 4396. Thank you for reading.

Michael Gerchufsky, ELS, CMPP
Managing Editor, Consultant

References:

  1. 2016 National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America website. http://www.aafa.org/page/asthma-and-allergy-awareness-month.aspx. Accessed May 2, 2016.
  2. Asthma. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/asthma.htm. Updated February 10, 2016. Accessed May 2, 2016.
  3. Balbi A. Could antifungal therapy improve asthma symptoms? Consultant360. https://www.consultant360.com/exclusives/could-antifungal-therapy-improve-asthma-symptoms. Accessed May 2, 2016.
  4. McGraw M. Yoga linked to benefits in patients with asthma. Consultant360. https://www.consultant360.com/exclusives/yoga-linked-benefits-patients-asthma. Accessed May 2, 2016.
  5. Balbi A. Extreme heat, rain increase asthma exacerbations. Consultant360. https://www.consultant360.com/exclusives/extreme-heat-rain-increase-asthma-exacerbations. Accessed May 2, 2016.