Forum looks at asthma issues

Blair respiratory professionals to address breathing disorders.

Jimmy Mincin, jmincin@altoonamirror.com
Asthma has no age, gender or race preferences. It’s an equal opportunity affliction.

And that’s why there’s such a strong need for public education on the topic, area doctors say.

‘‘There are a lot of people in this area with asthma — children and adults,’’ said Rachel Derby, development director at Blair County Respiratory Disease Society. ‘‘Information is very key to knowing what to do — not only knowing what to do if you have an attack, but how to prevent them. That means knowing the triggers.’’

On Thursday, Blair Repira-tory Disease Society, Altoona, will conduct an asthma/allergy workshop from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Blair County Conven-tion Center to educate asthma sufferers and their families about topics such as adult and pediatric asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnea, allergic asthma and proper treatment of asthma during pregnancy. There will also be an opportunity to speak with representatives of pharmaceutical companies responsible for the manufacturing of medications, as well as local specialists. There is no fee.

“It’s important that people are aware that they can have normal, active and healthy lifestyles, even if they have this condition,” Derby said. “Everyone needs to know that having asthma does not mean they can’t enjoy life to its fullest.”

Dr. Jeffrey Rosch, whose Altoona office specializes in allergic, asthmatic and immunologic care for children and adults, commended the society’s ongoing commitment to educating the public about asthma and asthma-related issues.

“They’ve really done phenomenal work with putting this thing together and making it the largest non-medical asthma awareness program in the state,” he said. “We’re hoping to get around 300 attendees this year — we were just short of that last year. Yearly, we try to find topics from local respiratory specialists, for kids and adults, so we can try to get information to these people that is state of the art and scientific — and to talk about tried-and-true aspects of asthma, as well as cutting-edge treatments.”

Rosch will discuss new asthma treatment guidelines for adults.

“There’s a lot of information out there, and the problem is trying to sift through it all to separate fact from fiction,” he said. “People enjoy the time they get to learn about their families’ medical problems. It’s just a very informative, worthwhile evening.”

Asthma, an inflammatory disorder of the lung airways accompanied by attacks of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and coughing, causes approximately 4,000 deaths a year, 1,200 of which are pediatric cases (from birth to 18), Rosch said.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, an estimated 20 million Americans suffer from asthma (1 in 15 Americans), and 50 percent of asthma cases are allergic asthma. The prevalence of asthma has been increasing since the early 1980s across all age, sex and racial groups.

Dr. Patricia Hoyne, obstetrician and gynecologist at Altoona Regional Health System, Altoona Hospital Campus, hopes to dispell some common misconceptions about pregnancy and asthma.

“It’s important to educate women about asthma treatment before they become pregnant, to ensure they have a healthy pregnancy,” she said. “Some women stop taking their medications when they find out they’re pregnant, believing it’s the right thing to do. But the fact is, most (asthma) medications are very safe during pregnancy. We want moms to be able to breathe.”

All three doctors hope that people leave the workshops enlightened and informed.

“I think it’s just so important to help educate the public so they have a better understanding of their asthma and what can be done about it,” Hoyne said. “... And to get people together so they know they have a support system.”

Rosch emphasized that creating and reinforcing awareness about asthma is a team effort.

“People need to know the whats and whys about asthma,” he said. “We need to be intelligent consumers. The more people know about their disease and the optimal ways of treating it, the better participants we are in our health care. It needs to be a partnership — we all have a vested interest.”

For more information, call the Blair County Respiratory Disease Society at 944-8222.

Mirror Staff Writer Jimmy Mincin is at 946-7460.