Three in four people with asthma are at risk of ‘fatal attacks’

More than three quarters of asthma sufferers could be susceptible to having a fatal asthma attack because they incorrectly assume their asthma is under control, according to new research.

A survey conducted by Allergy UK and funded by Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK, discovered this finding and many other things to raise alarm bells about the serious lung condition which afflicts around 5.4 million in Britain. Moreover, asthma costs the NHS an estimated £1 billion per year for the treatment and care for asthma patients.

464 participants with asthma were involved in the survey, and 78% who stated their asthma as being mild or moderate go through up to four blue reliever inhalers each month. “In reality they shouldn’t even need to use one per month if their disease is well controlled,” the charity says.

This finding backs up what Medical Specialists® Pharmacy said back in May, how a good proportion of asthmatics and not realising the massive importance of the brown preventer inhalers in building up a long-term resistance to triggers for asthma attacks.

Allergy UK adds that of the respondents who wrongly believe their condition is adequately under control, 16% have had six or more days off from work or school in the past 12 months because of their asthma.

The charity also discovered that up to 60% of asthma attacks are caused by allergens such as animal dander, house dust mites, pollen, mould and foods. Only 37% of those surveyed had been tested for allergies and the charity says that a drive to provide allergy tests could reduce the number of asthma attacks as patients would be more aware of their specific triggers.

Lindsey McManus, the Deputy CEO of Allergy UK, said: “Asthma is a killer, with three people dying of it every day in the UK. These shocking survey results reflect what we hear time and time again from the people that call our helpline. People ‘put up with’ their asthma symptoms and continue to use medication that isn’t treating the inflammation, rather than seeking help to get their asthma under control. They just don’t realise they are putting themselves in danger and could soon find themselves in A&E.”

More than one in five sufferers (22%) involved in the survey had not had an asthma review for at least a year it was discovered.

Ms McManus added: “Our biggest piece of advice is to talk to your doctor or asthma nurse. They will conduct a thorough asthma review and may refer you to a specialist who may conduct an allergy assessment and review your asthma management. This is the only way to ensure that the asthma crisis doesn’t worsen.”

Dr Monica Nordstrom, Respiratory Physician at Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust commented: “Doctors, nurses and patients themselves often fail to recognise whether asthma is moderate or severe, leading to life-threatening attacks that could have been avoided with appropriate diagnosis and management.

“There are three warning signs for patients to look out for; if you use more than one reliever inhaler a month; if you’ve been prescribed one or more courses of oral corticosteroids in the past 12 months or if you are consistently missing work or school because of your asthma – these can all be signs that your asthma may be more severe than you think and you should seek more help from your doctor or specialist nurse.”

During childhood our parents would always encourage us to eat our greens, and how we wouldn’t grow up to be big and strong without them!

The benefits of green vegetables may be bigger than we first thought however, after researchers discovered that not only can general health and development be boosted, but eating one or two cups of lightly steamed broccoli per day could act as a treatment for those suffering with asthma.

The study, led by a research team based at the University of Melbourne, showed how consuming vegetables from the cruciferous family — which also comprises of kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower and bok choy — may help to reverse lung damage and protect against inflammation causing asthma symptoms. The key is the naturally occurring sulforaphane that is found in broccoli and the other green vegetables.

In Britain alone there are an estimated 5.4 million asthmatic, which includes 1.1 million children. However, the lung condition is rife in many parts of the world, with numerous factors linked to the development of it such as being exposed to tobacco smoke – especially if the mother was smoking during pregnancy – and a family history of asthma or other allergic conditions means you are more likely to get it.

Moreover, aspects of modern lifestyles are believed to play a role in an increased risk of asthma. A diet high in processed foods, living in an area with high air pollution and being raised in a home where there is a pet – especially a cat – are all believed to be contributing factors.

“In Australia, asthma affects one in ten people and it’s something that is on the rise,” said University of Melbourne honours student Nadia Mazarakis, who undertook research on the topic with supervisor Dr Tom Karagiannis.

“Laboratory tests have shown that consumption of broccoli changes the formation of the airway and may make clear breathing easier for those who suffer from asthma and allergies,” said Ms Mazarakis.
“Blockages in the airway were reversed almost entirely. Using broccoli to treat asthma may also help for people who don’t respond to traditional treatment.”

The findings come as there are increasing studies into healthcare that try to involved diet together with prescription medication treatments.

It has been stressed though that research is still in an early stage and at no point during an asthma attack or breathing difficulties should usual medical advice be disregarded. Basically, asthma inhalers are still a must!

Ms Mazarakis will be presenting the findings of the study at the 2014 Undergraduate Research Conference about Food Safety in Shanghai, China.

Children given Calpol could be more likely to develop asthma

A major study has found a possible link between paracetamol – the primary ingredient of Calpol medicines – and the risk of children developing asthma.

Calpol is the most popular painkiller in Britain; given to 84% of babies during the first six months of their life, but there are presently no warnings in regards to the possible health risks of the medicine.
In fact, the study, conducted by Spanish scientists, suggests that children who are given Calpol just once each month could be around five times more likely to develop asthma.

Moreover, even those having the medicine just once a year could be up to 70% more at risk claim the researchers behind the study, who have stated their belief that paracetamol may help to explain rising cases of childhood asthma.

Researchers from the University of Da Caruna in northern Spain asked parents of 10,371 children aged 6 to 7, and 10,372 children aged 13 to 14 whether their children were suffering from asthma and if so, the severity of it. Those involved in the study were schoolchildren from six areas in Galicia in Spain, between 2006 and 2007.

In addition, researchers asked the parents how frequently their children were given paracetamol during the previous year and how often during the time they were of infant age.

Children in the younger age group given the medicine at least once a month were apparently over five times more times likely to have asthma and those given it just once a year were found to be approximately 70% more at risk.

However, there are those who have called into question the validity of the study. As the study assessed paracetamol use and asthma symptoms (wheezing) at the same time, it is viable that children with asthma symptoms are simply more likely to be given paracetamol by their parents to help with the symptoms, as opposed to paracetamol directly contributing to the asthma.

Dr Martin Scurr, a GP in London, says it is difficult to draw conclusions from the study and further research needs to be carried out.

“It could be that children with asthma are more likely to get coughs and colds and then are given Calpol by their mothers,” he said. “At the moment Calpol is the best we have – and it’s all we have so there is no reason to stop using it.”

Asthma was assessed by asking parents and children only about episodes of wheezing and as such, may not represent an accurate medical diagnosis of asthma. Also, as the paracetamol usage/frequency was self-reported, it is unlikely to be 100% accurate.

Therefore, it would be wrong to suggest a definite connection between paracetamol use and asthma. As with all medicines, paracetamol should only be given to children if it is required.

The number of children developing asthma in Britain has more than doubled in the last 50 years, with many studies being carried out to find out why, and health experts at loggerheads as to what reasons are causing the increase.

An estimated 1.1 million youngsters in Britain are suffering from the lung condition, and added to 4.3 million adults who have asthma, it causes 1,400 deaths each year in the UK.

Visit the ‘Asthma and Allergies’ area of the Medical Specialists Pharmacy website today for a full list of all the preventer and reliever inhalers we provide for suitable patients.

If you have already been prescribed an inhaler, have lost your inhaler, or run out and cannot get a prescription immediately, we are able to supply you an inhaler to help your asthma symptoms. You can undergo a quick and easy confidential online consultation with one of our GMC-registered Doctors and if suitable, they will write you a prescription which is passed to our in-house RPSGB–registered Pharmacists and dispensed to a location of your choice, all within just 24 hours!*

*Allow extra time for overseas deliveries.

‘Dust mite avoidance and diet modification’ could cut childhood asthma risk

The 24-year old ‘hygiene hypothesis’ has been put into serious doubt this week after new research has suggested this theory is purely a myth.

First proposed back in 1989, the idea behind the hygiene hypothesis is that if there is childhood exposure to allergens and certain infections, this can aid the immune system’s development and teach it to differentiate between harmful and harmless substances, and thus reducing a child’s risk of developing asthma and allergies.

However, Professor Hasan Arshad, a consultant in allergy at Southampton General Hospital, has conducted a 23-year study that may somewhat discredit this theory, finding that mothers can help to massively reduce the risk of their baby developing asthma in their first year of life by avoiding certain allergenic foods and doing their best to tackle and kill house dust mites – tiny creatures that inhabit bedding, carpets, clothing and soft furnishings. It is their waste droppings and not the mite itself that triggers an allergy. House dust mite allergy is common and has been found to be linked to asthma, eczema and allergic rhinitis.

Professor Arshad spoke on the study, commenting: “Although genetic links are arguably the most significant risk factor for asthma in children, environmental factors are the other critical component. Although this was a small study, we have found that the risk of developing asthma at some point during childhood is reduced by more than 50 per cent if we introduce control of a child’s environment.”

For the 23-year study, the researchers began to track 120 people born in 1990 and who had a family history of allergies – either both parents had asthma, or just one and a sibling.

It was discovered that 58 of the people in the study had either been breastfed or had drank low-allergy formula milk until they had reached the age of nine months. In addition, their mothers had not consumed any dairy products, eggs, soya, fish and shellfish and peanuts and tree nuts. For these same people, they had benefited from a vinyl bed cover at this young age and pesticides were also used to kill dust mites. Parents of the other 62 children were not so strict and did not adhere to the same principles.

Follow-up tests were carried out when the children had reached the ages of two, three, four, eight and 18. It was discovered that 11% of those in the prevention group had asthma by the time they had reached 18. However, more than a quarter (27%) of those exposed to possible allergens had developed asthma in the same time-frame.

Professor Arshad says: “By introducing a combined dietary and environmental avoidance strategy during the first year of life, we believe the onset of asthma can be prevented in the early years and throughout childhood up to the age of 18. Our finding of a significant reduction in asthma using the dual intervention of dust mite avoidance and diet modification is unique in terms of the comprehensive nature of the regime, the length of follow-up and the size of the effect observed.” He now says that a larger-scale study is required to see if a similar result pattern is achieved.

Asthma is becoming increasingly prevalent in Britain and around the world, with 5.4 million people receiving treatment for the condition in the UK alone and an estimated one in every 11 children. The ‘Asthma and Allergies’ section of the Medical Specialists Pharmacy website has a huge range of prescription and non-prescription medications that can help with problems such as asthma and hay fever – with the latter becoming more prominent in the coming months as March is the start of the pollen season, lasting up until November.

Caesarean babies lose gut bacteria and risk developing asthma

Babies who are delivered via a caesarean section may be exposed to numerous dangers such as a surgical injury (accidental nicks to the baby’s skin during surgery). There are also risk of potential breathing problems to the baby like transient tachypnea—abnormally rapid breathing during the first few days after birth and respiratory distress syndrome — a condition that makes it difficult for the baby to breathe.

And now a new study recently published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal has identified that babies born in this particular manner could have fewer than normal ‘good’ bacteria in their digestive tract and thus not benefiting from these protective bugs preventing health problems in childhood and later life such as asthma and allergies.

Researchers in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto and Hamilton claim that they have compiled evidence that demonstrates infants born by caesarean delivery actually lack group of bacteria common in the stool of those infants delivered naturally, regardless of being breastfed or not. In particularly, babies born by c-section had significantly fewer bacteria of the Escherichia-Shigella and absolute nothing of the Bacteroides species.

“Shigella and Bacteroides are organisms picked up from mom and considered first colonizers,” says senior author Anita Kozyrskyj. “They lay the foundation for further microbes that become part of our normal microbiome.”

For the study, examinations were carried out on the stool samples from 24 healthy infants who are part of the larger Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD) study. Samples were obtained as the babies reached four months of age. The comprehensive microbial survey was feasible because of advances in DNA sequencing techniques.

The researchers state that the potential long-term consequences of decisions in relation to the way in which a baby is delivered and an infant’s diet are ‘not to be underestimated’. In their report, the researchers comment: “Infants born by caesarean delivery are at increased risk of asthma, obesity and Type 1 diabetes, whereas breastfeeding is variably protective against these and other disorders. Our findings are particularly timely given the recent affirmation of the gut microbiota as a ‘super organ’ with diverse roles in health and disease, and the increasing concern over rising caesarean delivery and insufficient exclusive breastfeeding in Canada.”

Specific reasons for the differences in gut bacteria have not been fully established, but it could be that caesarean-born babies are missing out on physiological changes occurring during labour that includes exposure to bugs that are necessary for the immune system to develop.

Interestingly, in Canada where the study was primarily focused on, a parallel rise of caesareans and certain illnesses such as asthma has been witness in the last two decades.  In 1990, roughly 18% of all births were delivered by this method and statistics now show that c-sections currently comprise of about 27% of all births within Canada. The prevalence of asthma has also increased during this time period and there are now about three million Canadians who suffer with the lung condition. This is in addition to the 5.4 million Brits currently receiving treatment for asthma and many more millions worldwide.

Rob Knight, associate professor at the University of Colorado and a co-author of a commentary published with the study, said: “C-section and asthma could be connected. There have been several studies showing that more diverse microbial communities lead to lower rates of asthma, allergies and autoimmune diseases, and this study shows that c-section leads to lower microbial diversity.”

Child asthma problems alleviated since the smoking ban

A study has found that the total number of children requiring hospital treatment because of their asthma has declined since the introduction of the July 2007 smoking ban – prohibiting lighting up in all enclosed public spaces such as restaurants, nightclubs, bars, shopping centres, etc.

The Imperial College London’s analysis on NHS figures has been published in the journal Pediatrics. They looked at admission rates dating all the way back to April 2002 and  they explain there has been an incredible 8.9% reduction in hospital admissions following the first 12 months after the ban came into play.

Intriguingly, researchers identified that preceding the 2007 ban there was a 2.2% rise each year in the number of children admitted to hospital due to severe asthma symptoms that include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest. Taking into account the predicted 2.2% rise annually, researchers say that in those first 12 months, the ban had therefore helped to decrease admissions by 12% with this decline continuing in subsequent years and a 3.4% fall per year for the next two years. This clearly demonstrates the positive impact the legislation is having on health in addition to emphasising how damaging cigarette smoke actually is.

Lead researcher Dr Christopher Millett says that the drop works out at an estimated 6,802 fewer hospital admissions in the first three years of the smoking legislation coming into effect.

Dr Millett spoke on the huge health benefits since the introduction of the ban, commenting: “There is already evidence that eliminating smoking from public places has resulted in substantial population health benefits in England, and this study shows that those benefits extend to reducing hospital admissions for childhood asthma. Previous studies have also suggested that the smoke-free law changed people’s attitudes about exposing others to second-hand smoke and led more people to abstain from smoking voluntarily at home and in cars. We think that exposing children to less second-hand smoke in these settings probably played an important role in reducing asthma attacks. The findings are good news for England, and they should encourage countries where public smoking is permitted to consider introducing similar legislation.”

Medical Specialists Pharmacy finds Dr Millett’s comments particularly interesting as he touches on many topics that we have previously addressed such as the underestimated subject of second-hand (passive) smoking. Not just displeasing because of the foul odour, second-hand smoking can be a killer and those who do smoke need to be clued-up about this serious matter and consider the harm they are inflicting on those around them – in addition to themselves. Parents who are smoking inside their cars  is another factor not considered often enough and the impact this has to their children’s health – especially if a child is asthmatic as this is one factor that can cause their symptoms to flare-up.

Emily Humphreys, head of policy and public affairs at Asthma UK, was happy with the findings of the study and she said: “It’s great to see growing evidence of the positive impact of smoke-free legislation. This is something we campaigned for, so it is particularly encouraging that there has been a fall in children’s hospital admissions for asthma since its introduction.”

Asthma is a long-term respiratory condition where the air passages within the lungs become unexpectedly inflamed, narrowed and swollen. This leads to a prevention of airflow into and out of the lungs. Asthma attacks happen usually following a response to an allergen, cold air, exercise, or emotional stress.

There are a predicted 5.4 million people in the UK currently receive treatment for asthma – 1 in every 11 children and 1 in every 12 adults. This equates to 8.8% of the total population (62 million estimated in 2010). In addition, it affects a staggering 300 million people worldwide.

Although there is no cure, asthma can be controlled through the use of preventer and reliever inhalers and Medical Specialists provide many varieties of each and more information about these and how to obtain them can be found on the Asthma and Allergies area of the website.

Stephen Fry’s asthma worries at Christmas

Christmas day is now only four days away and when it comes to health, most people will be primarily concerned with how much stodgy food they are indulging in for fear of adding an extra few inches to their waistline.

Perhaps surprisingly though, there are another group of people besides the weight-conscious who should possibly be concerned at Christmas time – asthma sufferers.

Comedian, actor and TV Personality Stephen Fry is one of many celebrity asthma sufferers and Fry will be completely avoiding any festive bubbly with worry that even one drink could trigger an asthma attack and kill him.

He says: “Christmas parties are generally a lot of fun but I have to make sure that I avoid champagne because it triggers my asthma symptoms. People don’t always realise that there are all sorts of different triggers for asthma, including plenty of things that are in abundance during the festive season. Champagne can leave a lot of people feeling poorly the next day but for me it is far more serious because it could trigger a potentially fatal asthma attack.”

Fry’s comments came in the wake of the charity Asthma UK warning that approximately 200 people in Britain will require hospital treatment on Christmas day due to their asthma symptoms. Fry himself experienced a scary situation last month at a film screening when he was struck down with an asthma attack, and carelessly did not have a blue reliever inhaler in his possession, such as the widely used Ventolin Evohaler.

The 55-year old comedian suffered with breathing difficulties and had to resort to asking surrounding guests if anybody had an inhaler he could use. Luckily for him, other asthma sufferers at the screening were not so careless and did indeed have their inhalers. Fry later posted a tweet on his Twitter account saying: “Just had a surprise asthma attack at a screening. Got up to ask if anyone had an inhaler, so many hands went up. Saved.”

As the UK are fully in the midst of a bitterly cold winter, the decreasing temperatures alone are just one risk factor for triggering an asthma attack and therefore people are advised to wrap up warm.
However, as the cold winter months mean more people spend larger amounts of time indoors; this in itself can create a whole new set of potential asthma triggers that are just waiting to cause problems for sufferers.



For example, it might sound an exciting prospect giving your child a new pet puppy or kitten for Christmas, but if your child is an asthma sufferer then this could be disastrous for their lungs. These animals shed a high volume of something called ‘dander’ – a combination of dead skin cells and hair (or feathers) that can bring on asthma attacks and allergic reactions in those who are sensitive to these allergens. It if is determined by a doctor that your child’s allergies or asthma is worsened by dander then you may have to find an alternative home for your pet.

There are many other factors to consider though at Christmas from an indoor perspective.  Here are some important tips to reduce the risk of an asthma attack:

. Don’t use artificial snow. Although it looks festive enough and is aesthetically pleasing, fake snow straight from a can may unfortunately trigger asthma attacks. Perfumes and scented candles should also be avoided where possible.
. Don’t stress. The process of buying and wrapping presents can be a stressing time, and this isn’t even adding on the time needed to see friends, family and loved ones. Plan your time in advance in order to relax and not let stress get the better of you as this is one of many asthma triggers.
. Clean your Christmas tree and decorations. Artificial trees that have been stored in a dusty attic or damp basement through the year will gather dust and mould spores – both common asthma triggers. The process of unpacking the artificial tree out of its box can stir up all the allergens and create problems. A real tree – bought as close to Christmas as possible, is advised. However we recommend that both real and artificial trees should be taken outside and thoroughly shaken prior to any decorations being put on the tree. If your decorations have not been stored in a sealed bag, they should also be wiped down to eradicate dust and mould.
. Be careful about alcohol intake. Some asthma sufferers find that any alcoholic drink can erupt symptoms in them, whilst other such as Stephen Fry, find that they could only have symptoms after consuming a particular drink. Learn from Fry’s potentially-deadly mistake and have your reliever inhaler on you at all times.

Medical Specialists Pharmacy hopes we have made you more aware about the different factors to consider at Christmas if you are suffering from asthma or allergy problems. We do not want anybody’s Christmas to be effected through health issues and we hope you take our advice seriously.
In addition, we advise heading to our ‘Asthma and Allergies’ section of our website where we have a massive range of different inhalers and medications to ease your symptoms. In fact, many asthma suffers will also benefit from taking an anti-histamine such as Loratadine on a regular basis, to act as a precaution to allergic and asthmatic reactions, even throughout the winter months.

Pregnant women taking antibiotics leave babies at risk of asthma

A new Danish study has emerged that shows potential dangers to children if their mothers take antibiotics during pregnancy, with these children possibly more likely to develop asthma in comparison to children whose mothers did not take any antibiotics when expecting.

The researchers state that results they have gathered from their study are not 100% definitive in proving that antibiotics were completely responsible for the apparent increased asthma risk. However their data does back-up an already known theory that the body’s own ‘friendly’ bacteria play an important role in whether or not a child develops asthma, with antibiotics seemingly sabotaging these good bacteria.

Dr. Hans Bisgaard, a professor at the University of Copenhagen, was one of a few authors of the study, published in The Journal of Pediatrics. He said: “We speculate that mothers’ use of antibiotics changes the balance of natural bacteria, which is transmitted to the new-born, and that such unbalanced bacteria in early life impact on the immune maturation in the new-born.”

Anita Kozyrskyj, a professor at the University of Alberta, has also conducted her own studies trying to ascertain asthma and antibiotic links, and she believes it is these effects on the immune system could end up leading to a development of asthma later on, although she is still trying to work out exactly how.

Although there have been arguments against the findings, previous research has suggested that those children who are given antibiotics during the first six months of their life are at a 52% more risk of developing asthma and allergies by the time they are 6 years old.

Dr Bisgaard and his colleagues however decided to focus their research on the effects of antibiotics earlier than infancy. To do this they obtained information from a Danish national birth database comprising of over 30,000 children who were born sometime between 1997 and 2003. The team’s follow-up analysis spanned for a total of five years.

It was discovered that approximately a quarter of the children (7,300), had mothers who had taken antibiotics during their pregnancy. Of these children, just over 3% had been admitted to hospital for their asthma prior to the age of five.

In total, it was found that 581 (2.5%) of the approximate 23,000 children not exposed to antibiotics, had been admitted to hospital for asthma.

Dr Bisgaard and his team then looked at other possible risk factors for asthma and managed to calculate that the children that had been exposed to antibiotics whilst in the womb were around 17% more likely to require hospital treatment for asthma conditions.

Also it was calculated that those children with mothers who had taken antibiotics during pregnancy were 18% more likely to have been issued a prescription for asthma medicine such as Ventolin for example, compared to kids whose mothers did not take antibiotics when they were pregnant.

If you are suffering from asthma, why not allow At Medical Specialists Pharmacy to help you as we are able to provide new and existing asthma patients with a wide range of medications. If you have already been prescribed an inhaler, have lost your inhaler, or run out and cannot get a prescription immediately, we are able to supply you an inhaler to help your asthma symptoms. After undergoing a private and confidential online consultation with one of our Doctors, if you are suitable they will then write you a prescription which is passed to our in-house Pharmacists and dispensed to a location of your choice. We have both blue (relievers) inhalers such as Ventolin and Salbutamol, and brown (preventers) inhalers such as Qvar Beclomethasone and Qvar Easi-Breathe.