May 2010
Asthma Research done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that more than 32 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with Asthma at some time. Out of 22 million U.S. residents who currently have Asthma, 12 million have had an Asthma episode or attack over the past year. Information regarding Asthma statistics and information was taken directly from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: www.cdc.gov.
If someone in your family has Asthma, you are more likely to have it. Other triggers that have been identified as having a direct relation to Asthma attacks: Pollen Tobacco smoke Dust Various types of foods Strenuous Physical Activity Certain Medicines Information regarding Asthma statistics and information was taken directly from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: www.cdc.gov.
Important Facts - Asthma No two cases of Asthma are alike, and this is the reason this condition is still a widely debated issue today. There is no cure for Asthma, but there are ways that you can prevent and control Asthma attacks from occurring. Each day, 11 Americans die from Asthma. Asthma death rates rose between 1980 and 1996 among both sexes, and most age and ethnic groups, but have declined since 2000. Information regarding Asthma statistics and information was taken directly from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: www.cdc.gov.
Costs of Asthma Asthma leads to almost 13 million outpatient visits to the doctor and 2 million trips to the emergency room each year. The estimated annual cost of asthma is nearly $19.7 billion. Included in that number is $10 billion in direct health care costs (hospitalizations) and $8 billion for indirect costs such as lost earnings due to illness or death. Asthma is the 4 th leading cause of work absenteeism and diminished work productivity for adults. Information regarding Asthma statistics and information was taken directly from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: www.cdc.gov.
2008 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Data Current Asthma Prevalence Percents by Age in Adults >18 Men Women 9.1 9.4 8.9 5.8 6.5 6.1 6.6 5.9 4.3 2.9 White Non-Hispanic Black Non-Hispanic Other Non-Hispanic Hispanic Mexican/Mexican American
2008 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Data Current Asthma Prevalence Percents by Age in Children < 18 Men Women 18.4 11.2 12.8 11.4 6.4 7.5 7.1 6.3 6.6 5.3 White Non-Hispanic Black Non-Hispanic Other Non-Hispanic Hispanic Mexican/Mexican American
Asthma Awareness If you have a family history of Asthma or have experienced some of the symptoms, it s important to get more information and visit your Physician. Your Physician will give you options on how you can prevent or control your Asthma.
Allergies are an abnormal response of the immune system. When you have allergies, your immune system reacts to usually harmless substances causing an allergic reaction. Almost anything can trigger an allergic reaction Allergies affect at least 2 our of every 10 Americans.
Most people learn to recognize their allergies. An Allergy Specialist can help you identify your triggers. This is done through: Skin Testing Involves exposing the skin to small amounts of various substances and observing the reactions over time. Blood Tests (RAST) generally identify IgE antibodies to specific antigens, or allergy triggers. Other Tests involve eliminating certain allergens from your environment and then re-introducing them to see if a reaction occurs. Information taken directly from WebMD Website. http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/allergyprevention. Printed 9 April 2010.
Pollen Information taken directly from WebMD Website. http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/allergysymptoms-types. Printed 9 April 2010. Mold Dust Animal Dander Sun Allergy Shellfish Allergy Insect Stings Plant Allergies Soy and Wheat Allergy
Treatment and Care Prescription Allergy Medications Allergy Shots Over-the-Counter Medicines Allergy Eye Drops Antihistamines Nasal Allergy Sprays Decongestants Information taken directly from WebMD Website. http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guid e/allergy-treatment-care. Printed 9 April 2010.
As always it is important to consult your Physician with any questions or concerns. For more information on Asthma and Allergies, please visit the following websites: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: http://www.aafa.org/ WebMD: www.webmd.com Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov