Moama Village pharmacist and asthma educator Sherri Barden said one in nine Australians is diagnosed with asthma, making it important to know how to help in an emergency situation.
“In 2019, there were 421 deaths due to asthma,” she said.
“There is no cure, but it can usually be well controlled with preventer medication if indicated, using your inhalers as prescribed, knowing what triggers your asthma and knowing what to do when it begins to flare up.
“This is why asthma education is so important, and having an asthma action plan reviewed and updated annually by your GP is essential for all patients, both adults and children.”
Echuca’s Lara Ludbey knows too well how serious asthma can be, spending a night in Echuca hospital this time last year.
“Before Australia Day I was talking to my mum and I couldn’t talk properly,” she said.
“I didn’t realise my asthma was exacerbating and ended up in hospital.
“From there I had an asthma plan in place and I probably have asthma incidents at least once a month.”
The first sign of her asthma flaring up is coughing, before her chest starts to hurt.
“It really tires you out, I’m an on-the-go kind of person and people don’t realise how big an impact it can have on your everyday life,” she said.
“It’s easy for people to step back and go ‘it’s not that bad’, and that was my problem, I didn’t think it was that bad until I ended up in hospital.”
She said it was important for people around the asthma sufferer to be aware.
“You can’t think as well as what you normally can and it’s really important people around you know.
“Now it’s more known about thunderstorm asthma, I get warnings on Facebook and I’ll have probably four people ring me that day.
“You have to be super aware of the weather and the pollen count and what you’re going to do that day.”
Ms Barden said signs that someone was having an asthma attack included increasing difficulty in breathing or talking, increasing shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing.
“If a person thinks someone is having or about to have an asthma attack, they should sit the person upright, be calm and reassuring, don’t leave the person alone and give assistance to administer asthma first aid with their quick-acting reliever and call 000.
“A severe flare-up requires urgent treatment by a doctor or hospital emergency department.”
Moama Village Pharmacy offers free asthma education with Ms Barden on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday each week.
She said she would like to acknowledge Zoe Kennedy’s legacy to support her foundation to raise awareness of asthma and fund asthma research.
To contribute, go to donate.asthma.org.au/Web/Fundraising/Asthma_Donate_Zoe
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