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Online Prescriber - Asthma

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What is Asthma?

Asthma is a very common long-term condition. According to the British Lung Foundation, around 5.4 million people in the UK are being treated for asthma and there are roughly 160,000 people diagnosed with asthma in the UK each year.

It is a chronic condition involving inflammation and narrowing of the airways and lungs and an overproduction of mucus, causing the sufferer to experience symptoms such as wheezing, breathlessness and coughing.

Most commonly, asthma develops in children and although asthma is incurable, children can ‘grow out’ of it during their teenage years. It can be controlled with treatment, with minimal impact on quality of life. People with well managed asthma can still participate in sports and live normal lives.

Symptoms

In a process called gas exchange, the oxygen you breathe in is carried to the cells of the body through the blood and the waste product, carbon dioxide, is expelled as you exhale.

People with asthma have swollen and sensitive airways that, in the presence of certain triggers, causes the muscles in the airway to tighten leading to narrow and clogged airways. The lining can also become inflamed causing a build-up of sticky mucus.

The most common symptoms of asthma are:

Shortness of breath
Wheezing – making a noise like a whistle when you breath out
Tightness in the chest
Coughing

Symptoms of asthma can vary widely between individuals. If the airways only narrow a little, this may only result in mild symptoms, but some people’s airways can become so narrow that they cannot get enough oxygen into their lungs and bloodstream. This is a serious asthma attack and requires immediate medical attention.

Causes of Asthma

The exact cause for asthma is not known. It is likely to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental risk factors.

Treatments

There is currently no cure for asthma but the correct treatment and management can help control the symptoms so you can live a normal, active life.

The main types of treatment are:

Reliever inhalers
Preventer inhalers
Other treatments – montelukast, injections in hospital

Patient Information Leaflet

Salamol Easi-Breathe CFC-Free Inhaler

Salamol CFC-Free Inhaler (100mcg)

Ventolin Evohaler (salbutamol) 100mcg

Why Choose Pharmacy First’s Online Prescriber Service?

At Pharmacy First we offer a range of products to help relieve Asthma.

There’s no need for a face-to-face doctor appointment and you are not required to bear a prescription before you purchase as Pharmacy First’s Online Prescriber Service provides you with prescription-only medication after a short online consultation which is reviewed by our qualified online medical prescribers