World Asthma Day: disease affects 300 million people worldwide

Around 600,000 people will be identified in health institutions in Portugal with asthma, a chronic respiratory disease that can affect any age group, with a higher incidence in young people. Persistent cough, no sputum, shortness of breath and wheezing are symptoms that you need to be aware of. In some cases, asthma can be serious and require hospitalization.

Raising awareness about the prevention of the disease, which affects around 260 million people in the world, is the objective of the World Health Organization (WHO), by stipulating the first Tuesday in May as World Asthma Day.

Obesity is another factor that can worsen the condition of an asthmatic patient. If the disease is controlled, patients can lead a normal life, but if it is not, it can become disabling.

Asthma affects around 8 to 10% of the population. Of these patients, some require frequent monitoring in hospitals. In the Algarve, around a hundred are serious cases.