About
one in 10 Missourians have asthma, a chronic condition caused by inflammation
of the lungs. In Missouri alone, an average of 75 people die each year from the
disease. Many of these deaths, however, are preventable with awareness,
knowledge and treatment.
“I
think the most important message about asthma is to know the difference between
coping with asthma and controlling asthma,” says Michelle Dickens, a nurse
practitioner and Certified Asthma Educator at CoxHealth. “So many patients live
with uncontrolled asthma, accepting that daily symptoms are just part of their
disease. But it doesn’t have to be that way.”
With
an individualized treatment plan, one that also includes management of asthma
triggers and patient self-management education, most patients with asthma can
gain control of their symptoms. There are also several new therapies on the market
and in development for certain patients with asthma that is difficult to
control. These medications target specific parts of the immune system to
decrease the inflammation in the lung that causes asthma.
“People
often think that because they have asthma, they cannot be active or lead a
normal life,” says Dickens. “Up to 20 percent of the members of the U.S.
Olympic team have asthma. So we know that with the right treatment plan, good
asthma control is possible.”
For
more information about asthma, contact the CoxHealth Asthma Center at
417-875-3742.
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