Thunderstorm asthma risk reminder

TEN years ago, 10 Australians lost their lives during the world’s largest and most catastrophic thunderstorm asthma event.

Several thousand others, including people who had no past history of asthma, experienced breathing difficulties.

With the grass pollen season now under way, the National Asthma Council of Australia is reminding Australians to protect themselves and their loved ones from the increased risk of thunderstorm asthma.

National Asthma Council Australia spokesperson and respiratory physician Professor Peter Wark said people with hay fever and allergy to ryegrass pollen could be at risk of thunderstorm asthma, even if they have never had asthma symptoms before.

“People that are allergic to ryegrass pollen and have asthma could have a severe asthma attack if outside in gusty winds just before or during a thunderstorm in spring or early summer in a place where there is ryegrass pollen in the air,” Professor Wark said.

“This includes most of south-eastern Australia.”

According to the National Asthma Council of Australia, thunderstorm asthma describes severe symptoms that occur due to a potent mix of pollens, weather conditions and rain.

When rain droplets crash into airborne pollen, the pollen grains are broken into tiny particles.These particles can then get further and deeper inside your lungs than the larger pollen grains and can trigger more severe asthma symptoms, the Council says.

Professor Wark advises that people who experience hay fever regularly use a nasal corticosteroid spray (a preventer for the nose), either alone or in combination with an antihistamine every day, at least during pollen season.

“If you have hay fever and asthma, treating your hay fever can also improve your asthma,” he said.

“Hay fever can cause upper and lower airway inflammation and result in itchy watery eyes, runny nose and sneezing, but even more concerning, hay fever can lead to an increased risk of serious asthma flare-ups.”

The best defence for people with asthma is a good treatment plan and day-to-day control.

“Asthma management guidelines have changed in the latest update of the National Asthma Council’s Australian Asthma Handbook and it is essential that adults and adolescents with asthma receive a correct diagnosis and receive treatment with an anti-inflammatory inhaled corticosteroid-containing regimen,” Dr Wark said.

“The recommendation is now for anti-inflammatory reliever therapy (with budesonide/formoterol) as needed in those with mild asthma. Or maintenance and reliever therapy (inhaled corticosteroid/formoterol), regularly and as needed. “This provides the best protection for most people with asthma against acute attacks.

“The aim of your asthma treatment should be to maintain good control of asthma symptoms and prevent flare-ups and using an anti-inflammatory reliever is the best way to achieve this.

“Relying only on a blue puffer, or needing it often, means you are at risk of severe asthma attacks, emergency department visits and hospital stays,” he said.

Professor Wark said the advice for adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over with asthma was to carry their anti-inflammatory reliever at all times and use it when they experience difficulty breathing, or before exercise, if needed.

“Now is the time to check in with your GP and ensure you are on the best treatment to control your asthma and to update your written asthma action plan so you know what to do during a spring thunderstorm or asthma emergency,” Professor Wark said.

“Even people with hay fever who have never had asthma should see their GP if they experience symptoms such as breathlessness, wheezing and tightness in the chest. These symptoms do not occur with hay fever alone,” he said.