Respiratory diseases remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Philippines, with pneumonia, COPD, all forms of tuberculosis and other lung infections affecting millions of Filipinos.
Asthma, a major noncommunicable disease (NCD), is one of the most prevalent health conditions in the country. About 21 million Filipinos suffer from asthma. The country ranks second in asthma mortality worldwide across all ages, with deaths caused by it accounting for 2.37 percent of total deaths in the country.
[1] Asthma can affect people across all ages, but it is most common among children. Besides breathing difficulties, its effects include trouble sleeping, fatigue and poor concentration. On top of the health and wellness concerns, long-time care can negatively impact one’s financial well-being.
So, what can be
done to help patients with asthma, especially this Lung Month?
Easing
the burden of asthma
There is still no
cure for asthma, unfortunately. But effective management can help control the
symptoms so that asthma patients can enjoy an active, normal life.
“Long-term
control medications are definitely important in managing asthma. But knowing
that asthma attacks can be sudden, the most reliable solution is quick-relief
medications,” said Dr. Dex Macalintal, a registered nutritionist-dietitian and
one of the pioneers of lifestyle medicines in the Philippines. “One of the most
recommended ways for quick relief and to address asthma symptoms is the use of
nebulizers at home.”
Dr. Mitch Syquia,
a pulmonologist-pediatrician and former chief resident of the Department of Pediatrics at
Perpetual Help Medical Center, shares the same view. “Having a nebulizer unit
and medication at home makes a lot of difference, particularly for children
with asthma. Besides giving quick relief, this reduces and even eliminates the
need to go to the hospital or seek emergency assistance during asthma
exacerbations. This is why I always tell my pediatric asthmatic patients and
their families to do at-home nebulization,” she said.
OMRON Healthcare,
one of the most trusted brands for clinically proven medical equipment among
Filipinos, has long been an advocate of accessible health management and
solutions. In its commitment to promote awareness for at-home nebulization and
in celebration of this year’s Lung Month, Omron has announced a price promotion
of P300 off its nebulizer products in line with its Relax Ka Lungs campaign.
The promotional pricing on select OMRON nebulizer products will be in effect
until October 31, 2022.
Also as part of
OMRON’s Relax Ka Lungs campaign, both Dr. Dex Macalintal and Dr. Mitch Syquia
will delve deeper into asthma management in an upcoming episode of OkiDoc. The
said episode will be livestreamed on August 26, 2022 via the official Facebook
pages for OMRON
Healthcare
and Hello Doctor, and YouTube
page of Dr. Dex Macalintal. During the show, viewers will have the chance to raise questions
about and discuss lung-related concerns with experts.
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About OMRON Healthcare Business
Committed to advance health and empower people worldwide
to live life to the fullest, OMRON Healthcare is a global leader in the field
of clinically proven, innovative medical equipment for home health monitoring
and therapy. The company develops and provides remote patient monitoring
services for cardiovascular condition management.
Throughout its history, OMRON Healthcare has been
striving to improve lives and contribute to a better society by developing
innovations that help people prevent, treat, and manage their medical
conditions, both at home and in clinical practice in over 110 countries.
With over 300 million devices sold globally*, OMRON
provides the world’s most recommended blood pressure monitors by healthcare
professionals**. The company provides product and service solutions for
cardiovascular condition management, respiratory care, and pain therapy
equipment. OMRON Healthcare Group is headquartered in Kyoto, Japan
To learn more, please visit:
*1 “Global Home Appliance Market Comprehensive Survey
2020”, Fuji Keizai Co., Ltd. (data for 2019)
*2 Cumulative sales of home-use digital blood pressure
monitors worldwide (as of May. 2021)
