How to know if you have asthma
First new treatment for asthma attacks in 50 years hailed as 'game-changer'
Doctors and patients have hailed a new treatment for serious asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) attacks as a potential "game-changer".
According to a study, the injection, which is the first new treatment for 50 years, is more effective than the current care of steroid tablets and cuts the need for further treatment by 30%.
Benralizumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets specific white blood cells, called eosinophils, to reduce lung inflammation.
It is currently used as a repeat treatment for severe asthma at a low dose, but a new clinical trial has found that a higher single dose could be very effective if injected at the time of a flare-up.
The findings, published in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine, uncovered a link between the new treatment and a better quality of life.
Scientists said steroids can have severe side-effects such as increasing the risk of diabetes and osteoporosis, meaning switching to benralizumab could provide huge benefits.
Lead investigator Professor Mona Bafadhel, from King’s, said: "This could be a game-changer for people with asthma and COPD.
"Treatment for asthma and COPD exacerbations have not changed in 50 years, despite causing 3.8 million deaths worldwide a year combined.
"Benralizumab is a safe and effective drug already used to manage severe asthma.
"We’ve used the drug in a different way – at the point of an exacerbation – to show that it’s more effective than steroid tablets, which is the only treatment currently available."
Researchers said benralizumab could potentially be administered safely at home or in a GP practice, as well as in A&E.
How to tell if you have asthma
Some 5.4 million people in the UK have asthma, that is around eight in every 100 people.
The NHS describes asthma is a common lung condition that causes occasional breathing difficulties. While it often starts in childhood, it can affect people of all ages and can develop for the first time in adults.
Triggers can include pollen or dust and they can make symptoms worse, potentially leading to a life-threatening asthma attack.
The causes of asthma are still not understood and current medications treat the consequences of an asthma attack, but do not prevent it.
According to Asthma and Lung UK the most common symptoms of asthma to look out for are:
coughing
wheezing
breathlessness
a tight chest.
The charity points out, however, that no everyone with asthma gets all of these symptoms.
It’s more likely to be asthma if:
you have more than one of these symptoms
your symptoms happen often
your symptoms are worse at night and early in the morning
your symptoms happen when you come into contact with an asthma trigger, like pollen or animals or when you have a cold or virus.
Interestingly the charity also notes that people with asthma usually get symptoms for short periods of time, rather than always having them.
Several conditions can cause similar symptoms, so it's important to get a proper diagnosis and correct treatment.
If you think you or your child may have asthma it is important to see a GP who will usually be able to diagnose asthma by asking about symptoms and carrying out some simple tests.
When seeking advice from your GP, Allergy UK advise being prepared for them to ask the following questions.
What symptoms are being experienced?
When do symptoms occur and how often?
Does anything appear to trigger symptoms?
If you or your child have conditions such as eczema or allergies, or if there is a family history of them.
It can help to write down details of your symptoms or keep a symptom diary to record when your symptoms are worse. Make a note of anything that seems to set your symptoms off.
Additional reporting PA.
Read more about asthma:
First treatment in 50 years for serious asthma attacks is ‘game-changer’ (PA, 3-min read)
Asthma linked to higher diabetes risk and vice versa, researchers say (PA, 2-min read)
Doctors urged to ditch blue inhalers for asthma treatment over climate concerns (Independent, 3-min read)
