The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has reminded Australians to speak to their GP about asthma management ahead of the asthma and pollen season.
RACGP President and Director of the National Asthma Council Dr Bastian Seidel said people with asthma and those with a family history of asthma should speak to their GP about risk factors and early signs of asthma.
“Your GP should be the first port of call if you or your family members have asthma,” Dr Seidel said.
“GPs are highly experienced in asthma management and can work with patients with a history of wheeze, including those with hay fever, to prepare for the asthma season.”
Dr Seidel said it was critical the community was prepared for thunderstorm asthma events.
“Recent thunderstorm asthma epidemics in Melbourne and Wagga sadly claimed 8 lives,” Dr Seidel said.
“The thunderstorm in Melbourne in November 2016 triggered 1,900 calls to Ambulance Victoria and was the largest epidemic thunderstorm asthma event ever recorded anywhere in the world.
“A significant number of patients with hay fever, many who did not realise they also had asthma, were affected by the thunderstorm asthma event.
“The demand on emergency and GP services during this event was unprecedented.
“GPs play a key role in educating patients, so our community is better prepared should similar conditions arise.”
Dr Seidel said people with asthma could now use phone apps to check the air quality at any location throughout Australia.
“Asthma apps allow users to keep track of their hay fever and asthma symptoms and see how their symptoms correlate with environmental conditions,” Dr Seidel said.
“I encourage people with asthma to use an asthma app in consultation with their GP to work out their specific symptom triggers.”
Dr Seidel said the RACGP had distributed information and developed educational activities to help GPs prepare for thunderstorm asthma presentations.
“The information the RACGP has provided will help GPs understand the thunderstorm asthma phenomenon, identify environmental and patient risk factors, identify, manage and provide education for those at increased risk, and manage their practice’s preparedness for such events,” Dr Seidel said.
“An associated online educational activity has also been developed to improve GPs’ management of asthma patients and ensure we are all well-prepared for an increase in asthma patient presentations.”
“The RACGP has developed an excellent fact sheet offering GPs advice on how to treat people suffering asthma because of these storms.”
For more information see the RACGP’s Fact sheet: Thunderstorm Asthma on its website at www.racgp.org.au.