http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-27257911
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| Quote: People suffering from asthma are dying unnecessarily because of complacency among both medical staff and patients, according to the first national study of asthma deaths in the UK. Researchers found that in nearly half of the cases they looked at, asthma sufferers did not receive any medical help during their final asthma attack. The National Review of Asthma Deaths says sufferers and medics must be better at recognising the danger signs. | |
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Funnily, the Torygraph took a different approach:
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| Quote: Asthma sufferers are dying needlessly because of failings by GPs | |
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Given that I work in general practice and went to a university that was hot on things like asthma, I have a few points I'd like to make:
- Diagnosis can be later because it's not always picked up, or presented. I've had patients who've ignored their cough for years
- Patients often don't bother turning up for asthma checks. Although it's lambasted in the Torygraph, nurses basically do a screening and a peak flow. If there are any concerns, the patient gets booked in to see a GP for optimising their control.
- Patients often don't take their inhalers or lie about doing so. One of our professors gave patients inhalers with a microchip which recorded usage. Most of the patients who had problems simply hadn't taken their inhaler. A few had managed to use their entire doses in the ten minute drive to the hospital!
- We give our patients asthma leaflets and ensure they know what to do when there's a flare of their symptoms. Despite this, not everyone does as recommended
- Patients often don't like the idea of taking steroids, even in inhaled form. They get immediate benefit from their reliever, see no benefit from their preventer and hence don't bother using it. Reinforcing positive education would help.
- Sometimes patients can have exacerbations through no fault of their own. They might be admitted to hospital. The better hospitals get the patient seen in the respiratory clinic soon after the admission. The crap ones tend to ask the patient to see their GP.
- Not every GP surgery has in-house spirometry. We do and our nurse goes on a regular calibration course to check she's up to scratch. This alone would save patients hassle as they then don't have to go to hospital for the same thing.
- Cost. Having to have two inhalers generates a prescription charge of over £15. Over a year that's £180. Some people can afford it. Some go for pre-payment. Some can't afford it and go without. IMO it should be free as per patients on thyroxine.
) - his hair started to grow back 
