Prevalent Combination Underappreciated
William Cullifer, executive director of the World Asthma Foundation says he is personally declaring war on Severe Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome (ACOS).
His battle is tied in with World Asthma Day. Cullifer says The World Asthma Foundation leads the charge to do two important things. First, to raise awareness of this problem, because it is largely unknown to the public and healthcare professionals alike. Secondly, he wants to elevate the discussion about “this highly prevalent but terribly underappreciated ACOS syndrome.”
Cullifer says this problem, ACOS, is also categorized as “asthmatic bronchitis,” a problem that is quite commonly experienced by asthma sufferers, but that is loosely defined clinically, because it is not understood. The interesting thing is that around 15 to 25 percent of the general population who have obstructive airway diseases experience more severe related issues compared to those who have asthma or COPD alone.
ACOS Worse Threat Than COPD
Cullifer told NewsBlaze that there isn’t currently much upside for those suffering from this overlap syndrome, because not only are the symptoms worse, they surface more often, and the treatment options are more aggressive.
Doctors associated with the World Asthma Foundation Board and the University of California Davis School Of Medicine have been investigating this Asthma-COPD overlap.
“ACOS is concerning because it’s much worse in terms of exacerbations, or acute attacks of breathlessness, as compared to COPD.” said Amir Zeki, MD, assistant professor of medicine pulmonary, critical, and sleep medicine at the Center for Comparative Respiratory Biology and Medicine at the University of California Davis School Of Medicine and World Asthma Foundation Board Member.
“We are entering a new era of public awareness of people living with chronic lung disease such as asthma and COPD,” – Sam Louie, MD and professor of medicine, director of the UC Davis Asthma Network (UCAN).
“Our mission at UC Davis is to transform health care by integrating and provide quality patient care services these conditions, which promote patient education and safety, social networking, and to align our goals with national efforts to transform people’s lives,” Louie said. “But we can’t achieve success without recognizing the clear and present danger from not being aware of the Asthma-COPD Overlap syndrome.”
The World Asthma Foundation provides educational resources that inform patients, medical professionals and the general public about the latest clinical advances, management and treatment options for asthma disorders, including ACOS.
Educating The Healthcare Community on Asthma-COPD Overlap
“People with asthma, COPD and ACOS deserve better,” Louie said. “It requires that we all take responsibility, patients too, but physicians must take their empathy one step further and realize how reversible asthma, COPD and ACOS can be.”
Cullifer, the World Asthma Foundation’s executive director, is keen to get the word out on the interesting new developments that are leading to a better understanding of asthma and COPD.
“The World Asthma Foundation is excited to be on the forefront of educating the public and the healthcare community about this issue that is a major problem for so many people.”
Dr. Louie wants to do more than just understand the disease, he wants to really help people, and says, “When you get done taking care of the disease, you’re taking care of people. We must fight indifference and the only way to do that is to get the word out that we all have much more to achieve together to empower patients with reversible obstructive airway diseases.”
Related News
The press release issued about this issue a few days ago: Declaring War on Severe Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome
COPD-asthma overlap – needs greater recognition – buff.ly/10pb73g #asthma
– Sound Asthma(@SoundAsthma) May 8, 2013
Declaring #War on Severe #Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome shar.es/lIcSY via @newsblaze
– Judyth Piazza (@judyth_piazza) May 8, 2013
