The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has found that more than 1 million people in Britain who are receiving treatment for asthma may have been wrongly diagnosed. The health watchdog has published a new draft guidance for doctors on testing for the condition.
Asthma is a long-term condition that can cause coughing, wheezing and breathlessness. The NICE report says that around 4.1 million people in Britain receive treatment for asthma but studies suggest that up to 30 percent do not show clear evidence of having the illness. The new guidelines for England, subject to consultation, recommend doctors use a range of clinical tests to diagnose the lung condition more accurately, and also observe signs and symptoms. Currently there is no standard test for diagnosing asthma and diagnosis is mainly based on medical history. The guidelines suggest that spirometry, which assesses airflow, should be the first test used to reach a diagnosis, followed by further breath tests.
Asthma
It's a lung condition characterized by inflammation of the bronchi and constriction of the airways that result in coughing, wheezing or breathlessness. Allergy and other airway irritants can trigger it
Professor Mark Baker, director of clinical practice at NICE, said, "Accurate diagnosis of asthma has been a significant problem which means that people may be wrongly diagnosed or cases might be missed in others. Our aim with this guideline is to give clarity and set out the most clinical and cost-effective ways to diagnose and monitor asthma based on the best available evidence."
Source: Medindia
Tests for Asthma
Do you find it difficult to breathe especially during the cold weather? You may need to get tested for asthma, a respiratory condition that is induced by allergies.
 Respiratory DiseasesRespiratory diseases affect any part of the respiratory system. Some of the lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can lead to respiratory failure. | Advertisement
|
