Medication
their busy lives to call a helpline and some people feel more comfortable talking about difficult issues using a messaging app than they would discussing them over a phone. In the near future, the latest technology may even be able to detect when sufferers’ asthma is getting worse, so they can respond quickly to prevent an attack.
Smart inhalers are still some way off being publicly available – but that day can’t come soon enough. Dr Whittamore said: “They are devices with sensors that attach to existing inhalers and record when they’re used. The data can be sent wirelessly to your smartphone so you have a vital record tracking your usage.
“And it could also be shared with your GP, asthma nurse or hospital team to help tailor care to your needs. Knowing when and where your symptoms flare up may help identify personal triggers and allow a more individually tailored self-management plan.”
Artificial Intelligence (AI) could also be used in the future to predict the likelihood of attacks before they happen and offer helpful health advice to sufferers around the clock. thma UK There are currently around a quarter of a million people in the UK with a diagnosis of severe asthma, which means that regular treatments don’t work for them, said Dr Whittamore.
Medication options for people with severe asthma are extremely limited.
Most rely on high-dose oral steroids which can have serious side effects, including diabetes, osteoporosis (thinning of the bones) and depression, if taken long-term. And even with these drastic medications, some sufferers find their asthma hard to control.
But scientists are working on new treatments for severe asthma, many through research programmes supported by Asthma UK.
The latest types of medicine used to treat it are monoclonal antibodies – known as MABs – which help keep specific types of the condition under control.
Names to look out for are Xolair (omalizumab), which has been available for some time, and newer ones such as Nucala (mepolizumab) and Cinqaero (reslizumab).
But it is becoming clear that asthma is not one condition but a cluster of respiratory conditions – and unfortunately not all MABs will be effective for everyone.
This is why experts believe urgent research is needed to understand the biology of asthma and work towards new and better treatments for different types of the illness.
Dr Whittamore emphasised that it’s vital for patients to attend their annual asthma check-up and ensure they have a written action plan. They should also be constantly aware of signs that their asthma is getting worse.
“And patients should also always carry around their blue reliever inhaler with them just in case,” he said. “Ideally, they won’t need to use it but they should keep it to hand in case a trigger catches them unawares.”
Asthma attacks can vary over a person’s lifetime and be life-threatening, sudden and unpredictable