Over a million patients have already switched to new asthma therapies, while health authorities are pushing for the abandonment of traditional blue inhalers, considered for years the main treatment.
These inhalers, known as SABAs (short-acting beta-agonists), help relieve symptoms like wheezing and shortness of breath, but they don't treat the underlying cause of the disease. Their overuse has been linked to a higher risk of severe attacks, hospitalizations, and even death.
New guidelines published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the British Thoracic Society recommend that patients over 12 years of age be treated with combination inhalers containing steroids and longer-acting medications.
These new inhalers not only relieve symptoms, but also reduce the inflammation that causes asthma to worsen. The two main forms are:
AIR (as-needed anti-inflammatory inhaler)
MART (daily prevention and treatment therapy)
According to experts, this new approach has brought significant improvements in disease control and a reduction in emergency cases. It is estimated that for every 10 patients who undergo this therapy, thousands of doctor visits and dozens of hospitalizations are avoided per year.
Asthma affects around 6 million people and, while there is no cure, it can be managed with the right treatment. However, specialists warn that many patients are still hesitant to give up their blue inhalers, due to old habits or misinformation about new treatments.
Experts emphasize that this change represents an important step towards preventing crises and improving the quality of life of asthma patients. /GazetaExpress/
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