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Asthma and COPD clinic |
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This is run by a specially trained asthma/COPD nurses, under the supervision of a doctor. We in principal follow the asthma/COPD management guidelines of the British Thoracic Society. There are approximately 300 patients under regular supervision. They advises on the proper monitoring and management of asthma/COPD and how to get the best out of the prescribed treatments. She also makes sure inhalers are being used correctly and that peak flow meters for measuring wheeziness are provided and used to their best advantage. If treatment needs changing the nurses can do this. Patients may be referred by a doctor to the asthma/COPD clinic or patients may request an appointment for the clinic without having seen a doctor first. Anyone who is on regular asthma/COPD medication needs a regular check at the clinic. Asthma is a common problem that causes coughing and wheezing of varying degrees of severity. It can be quite disabling if it goes on day after day or comes on every time you exercise. Sometimes it can become very severe and if not adequately treated it can kill. Most of the problems and dangers of asthma can be avoided or reduced by two areas of action. The first is to understand how to recognise when asthma is becoming a serious problem, and know what to do about it. And the other is to know how to get the best out of the drugs that we use to keep it under control. Both these things are taught at our asthma clinic. Indeed it is the purpose of the clinic. But because asthma varies from month to month or year to year or simply by individuals being different, periodic checkups are necessary, often every 6 months. Why treat asthma? The reason is simple. If it is left untreated or inadequately treated it can damage the lungs permanently, leading to breathing problems in middle or old age. The aim of our treatment is to keep asthma at bay, keep asthmatics out of hospital (by preventing severe asthma), and prevent permanent lung damage. COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a lung disease that is mainly caused by smoking. It tends to come on after the age of 45 when the damage of 25 years of smoking finally shows up. It caused wheezing, coughing and breathlessness as asthma does, and treatment with inhalers is usually necessary as well as regular checks and lung function tests. Some people have both lung problems, and the treatment is similar. This is why we deal with both in the same clinic. Although COPD cannot be cured (that is one reason you should not smoke). The disability is causes can be reduced by modern treatments. |
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