TIL Thunderstorm Asthma Is A Thing

[arthwollipot]

Thunderstorm asthma deaths: only three victims had disease 'action plan'

Asthma sufferers may have been safest staying indoors with windows closed and medication on hand when a fatal thunderstorm respiratory event struck Victoria, an inquest has been told.

A specialist on Monday gave evidence to an investigation into the deaths of 10 people, during or shortly after the freak weather event hit Melbourne on 21 November, 2016.

The event, caused by a combination of high pollen, strong winds, high temperatures and air moisture before a cold front, sparked an unprecedented surge of emergency calls across Victoria.

About 14,000 people were taken to hospital and seven men and three women – aged 18 to 57 – died.

I'm fortunate enough that I don't suffer from asthma. But for those who do, please be aware and keep your Ventolin at hand at all times.

 

[Norman Alexander]

I do suffer from asthma. I can confirm that pollen and cold can indeed trigger attacks, sometimes quite severe. If you want to get the feel of an asthma attack, try breathing through just a drinking-straw...

Ventolin (salbutymol) is purely a reliever, and may not be entirely effective if an attack is severe. For chronic asthmatics, slow-release preventers are significantly improved these days. There are a range of one-a-day medications that effectively remove asthma from your life. I was a medical guinea-pig on some of the original trials. The results were...absolutely remarkable for someone who lived on an inhaler. Seriously, you could pick the placebo response with ease. Now they are on the market. But remember, they are only effective IF YOU TAKE THEM REGULARLY. And they are not terribly effective at relieving an attack once you have one.

 

[arthwollipot]

Thanks for adding that pertinent and relevant information.

 

[This is The End]

TIL Thunderstorm Asthma Is A Thing

Ugh... Can that acronym please stay on reddit?

 

[arthwollipot]

Ugh... Can that acronym please stay on reddit?

No.

 

[arthwollipot]

Melbourne thunderstorm asthma victims left waiting for ambulances which had not been despatched

Demand for ambulances was so high during Melbourne's thunderstorm asthma event that some people were told an ambulance was on its way when, in fact, a despatch "had not occurred", a coroner has heard.

Ten people died in the November 2016 event, which saw rye grass pollen swept across the city during a dramatic a cool change. [sic]

The pollen burst into very fine particles, sparking asthma-like symptoms in thousands of people across the city.

A hearing into the deaths was told the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ETSA), which operates the 000 emergency call service, received as many calls in a two-hour window as they would in "a normal New Year's Eve".

 

[EHocking]

I do suffer from asthma. I can confirm that pollen and cold can indeed trigger attacks, sometimes quite severe. If you want to get the feel of an asthma attack, try breathing through just a drinking-straw...

Ventolin (salbutymol) is purely a reliever, and may not be entirely effective if an attack is severe. For chronic asthmatics, slow-release preventers are significantly improved these days. There are a range of one-a-day medications that effectively remove asthma from your life. I was a medical guinea-pig on some of the original trials. The results were...absolutely remarkable for someone who lived on an inhaler. Seriously, you could pick the placebo response with ease. Now they are on the market. But remember, they are only effective IF YOU TAKE THEM REGULARLY. And they are not terribly effective at relieving an attack once you have one.

It is reported that nearly 40% of the people who were affected by “storm asthma” did not have asthma so wouldn’t have been carrying any medication for the condition. Those with allergies/hayfever but not asthma, are more susceptible than those without either condition. Don’t know if OTC hayfever meds would be much help. I guess it would depend on the severity of your allergy.