Asthma alert

Summer, and the hot weeks following the official end of the season, can be a tricky time for asthma sufferers

- Amy Hadley

Asthma affects more than one in 10 people in Australia, and flare-ups may become more frequent in the warmer months. Dr John Blakey, consultant in respiratory and sleep medicine at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and adviser for Asthma Australia and Asthma WA, explains what you need to know about asthma now.

BUSHFIRE SEASON

“Breathing in chemical toxins like sulphur dioxide or fine particulate matter is harmful to your lungs, and for nonsmoking Australians, their only significant encounter with these kinds of triggers is during bushfire season,” says Dr Blakey. “But as bushfires have become alarmingly widespread and frequent in recent years, their effect on lung health has been greater.”

He suggests the most important thing asthmatics can do to reduce their risk of being unwell during bushfire season is to ensure they have been taking their preventer inhaler regularly in the months before.