Asthma Spotlight

Asthma deaths in children are tragic and in most cases potentially avoidable. This podcast was prompted by the recent coroners report and regulation 28 statement aimed at preventing future deaths, available at - https://bit.ly/3tDVr6h . All doctors and nurses, pharmacists, health care assistants and managers responsible for caring for children - all children - because asthma is the commonest chron...

Asthma is a chronic ongoing disease. Sadly it is often treated by health care professionals as if its an acute condition - ie attacks are treated without any investigation of cause and without follow up to address modifiable risk factors. In this episode I have emphasised the use of agreeing personal self management plans for attacks to also educate people on identifying poor control. Please do em...

There are lots of causes of asthma attacks. The common cold virus, the Rhinovirus is one of the commonest causes. The key to avoiding asthma attacks is to ensi=ure good control of underlying inflammation - by taking preventer medication as prescribed by your doctor! Ive used Dr Stan Szeffler's use of a volcanic eruption to describe what happens in an asthma attack - where there ios underlying poor...

Asthma attacks can happen without warning and this podcast focusses on preparation and dealing with asthma attacks when away from home. Preventing asthma attacks by following your doctors advice regarding your preventer medication is key to staying safe when going on holiday or visiting away from home. This podcast is intended for people with asthma, their children, and also health care profession...

I got really concerned reading social media posts by people about their asthma treatment. Two issues worried me - first that there are changes in medication prescriptions without clear explanation for patients (these seem to be done remotely without face to face consults some cases). Second from patients accounts, it seems that some doctors are not aware of the different properties of long acting...

Research in 2023 found that 40% of children who were treated for anaphylaxis were not prescribed essential medication, adrenaline autoinjectors, after treatment for an attack. This episode of the Asthma Spotlight Podcast is for parents and children who are at risk of having anaphylaxis - a sudden, life threatening response to something that you are allergic to. More information about anaphylaxis i...

Asthma attacks are not always easy to recognise and it can be difficult to identify what causes these attacks, or flare ups or exacerbations. There are things or circumstances that acn spark off or trigger attacks and its important to try and notice any particular associations with these attacks. So do you get attacks when you play in fields - this may be assoiciated with allergy for example to gr...

Asthma guidelines are not followed by health care professionals looking after people with asthma. In episode 42, I spoke about why there is a need for guidelines and how these are developed. In this episode I discuss some of the reasons why I think doctors and nurses dont use the recommendations when they treat your asthma. Once again I repeat the absolute need for you to learn what is recommended...

In this episode of the asthma spotlight podcast Ive explained how asthma guidelines are used for the management of your or your child's asthma. Asthma Spotlight PODCAST and YOUTUBE Disclaimer:  The opinions I express in these blogs, podcasts and videos are not intended as, and shall not be understood or construed as, medical, health, or professional advice of any kind. The information co...

Severe asthma is a particular problem for some children with asthma. Many people with possible severe asthma are not referred to specialists. This asthma podcast for parents of children with asthma and doctors and nurses caring for children and young people with asthma. Dr Louise Fleming is an expert in paediatric asthma and has a special interest in difficult to treat and severe asthma. Focussing...

Professor Sir Peter Barnes is a clinician and research scientist. He is one of the best known and most highly cited researchers world wide in the field of respiratory medicine. In this interview we discussed aspects of his research work and it was an opportunity to share his insights and thoughts about the way asthma is managed and what he forsees for the future in this area. He also shared ideas...

Asthma attacks are medical emergencies. Many people do not call for or get emergency help when asthma flare ups are severe. In the National review of asthma deaths 45% 0f those who died from asthma did not get emergency help. In this asthma podcast I discuss some of the problems I think exist about current self management plans. There is a need for very clear instructions on action to be taken dur...

Asthma treatment aims to prevent asthma exacerbations (attacks). Children with asthma require expertise & knowledge by doctors, nurses, pharmacists and parents and children themselves. In this interview Viv Marsh specialist asthma nurse shares her thoughts and ideas on asthma care - both for parents and health care professionals. Asthma attacks (also called exacerbations) must be taken more se...

Routine asthma reviews aim to implement guideline recommendations to identify risk factors and deal with these to prevent exacerbations or attacks. Inhaler technique cannot be taught or assessed by phone. Remote routine asthma reviews are becoming very common in UK primary care, especially telephone reviews and this concerns me a lot. Unless these are done by very experienced asthma clinicians the...

Wheeze is one of the symptoms of asthma. Wheeze could be due to numerous diseases and It is essential to make a clear diagnosis so that a treatment plan can be formulated. The terms such as 'acute viral wheeze', 'acute wheeze' or simply 'wheeze' used by doctors when discharging children from acute attacks of wheeze are unhelpful for parents or family doctors and could result in harmful outcomes. A...

An asthma attack is a red flag warning that something has gone wrong. An attack is also a predictor that another one will happen, therefore it is vital to have an asthma check-up soon after an attack to find out what web=nt wrong and what can be done to prevent another one. In this interview with Lesley Kennedy and Mike Shields; specialist asthma nurse and a consultant paediatrician we learn of an...

Asthma treatment has relied on use of blue relievers for over 50 years. In this interview with Professor Richard Beasley it is clear that its time to implement the evidence in favour of using a 2 in one anti-inflammatory reliever inhaler (puffer) instead of the blue salbutamol/albuterol (SABAs) one for relief of asthma symptoms like wheeze, cough or tight chest feeling. The research shows that thi...

Many people are afraid to take cortisone treatment for asthma. The key message in this podcast episode is that short courses of corticosteroid (Steroid) tablets are life saving treatment in asthma attacks. However repeated courses of these can be harmful. Therefore the main aim of asthma treatment is to prevent asthma attacks and the need for steroid tablets by treatment with lower doses of cortic...

There are three important things that people with asthma should know about inhalers and inhalation medication ie the puffers used for treating asthma. These are inhaler technique or the way you use your inhaler; spacers, the plastic chambers that are used with the pressurised inhalers: and nebulisers. The issues related to treatment of asthma symptoms like cough, wheeze, difficulty getting breath,...

In this week's Asthma Spotlight Podcast Professor Andy Bush, respiratory specialist paediatrician shares some of his thoughts about the management of childhood asthma in the United Kingdom and also addresses some important aspects related to asthma care in children which are of interest for parents of children with asthma as well as health care professionals in the UK and other countries. These in...

The United Kingdom has amongst the worst asthma outcomes in the world and despite potential access to excellent specialist asthma care. So how have we got to this situation? What is it about the way asthma is managed in the United Kingdom that prevents us from making preventable asthma attacks & deaths ....'never events'. In this podcast I share some of my thoughts and reflections on these que...

Occupational or work induced asthma is one kind of asthma that is important to diagnose because it can potentially be cured if your work environment is changed or if you change your job. Clues that you may have occupational asthma are if your symptoms are worse at work and that improve when you are away from work. I have provided a brief introduction th this topic in this episode - a list of cause...

Its important to understand that an asthma consultation with a health carer is a two way process, and it is in your own interests to be know as much as possible about asthma and also its very helpful for the person you are consulting to be able to understand how your asthma affects your life. This podcast is about recognising patterns - in particular to help you link possible causes for your asthm...

In the past, asthma care in the UK was mainly delivered by hospital doctors. Since the 1980's nurse training facilitated asthma care in general practice when it was provided mainly by nurses. Originally around 80% of these nurses caring for people with asthma had extensive asthma training. However due to reduced resources funding and time for nurses to train, plus increased demand for care for a n...

This weeks podcast was prompted by some questions asked by people about their asthma - in particular about the use of corticosteroid tablets for asthma attacks. Someone with asthma should have a self management plan for flare-ups / acute attacks and importantly, in my view, should know when to use corticosteroid tablets and when to stop these. Ive discussed four questions in some detail - ie Shoul...