Many events are taking place this month to raise awareness of lung health, writes Nadia Badarudin
BREATHING is essential to life, but lung health is less recognised as a key health indicator compared to other factors such as blood pressure or weight.
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Lung diseases once primarily found in industrialised countries
are now major problems in low- and middle-income countries.
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Regardless of gender and socio-economic background, lung diseases take the heaviest toll on the poor, the elderly and the young, as well as the weak.
THE BIG FOUR
According to the Healthy Ministry (based on discharge diagnosis 2009-2011), the four most common types of lung diseases that affect Malaysians are pneumonia (40 per cent), asthma (20 per cent), COPD (11.5 per cent) and TB (eight per cent).
“These are the Big Four of lung diseases, and most of them are caused by various factors such as urbanisation, living conditions, unhealthy lifestyles and hazards at the workplace,” says Dr Chong Chee Kheong, the ministry’s disease control director.
“Respiratory diseases are No. 2 of the top 10 leading causes of hospitalisation and death at government hospitals in 2010,” he adds.
RISK FACTORS
Infectious and non-infectious lung diseases are triggered by multiple factors. “Stress, lack of sleep or living in a crowded or poorly ventilated house or in an extreme weather condition (too hot or too cold) will weaken one’s immunity system, thus making the person vulnerable to illness,” says Dr Chong.
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Urbanisation contributes to the rise of
lung diseases around the globe
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He says children and the elderly as well as those with existing health conditions such as asthma or uncontrolled diabetes and HIV are more prone to lung diseases.
“Smoking remains a major factor that destroys one’s lung. It will aggravate the conditions of a person with existing illness such as asthma,” he says.
SAVE YOUR LUNG
Here are Dr Chong’s tips for taking care of your lungs:
1. Stop smoking.
2. Practise a healthy lifestyle. Eat well and be active.
3. Improve living conditions. Make sure your house has proper ventilation system.
4. Make sure to use personal protective equipment when working in a place that has potential hazards to health (e.g. industrial emissions).
5. Manage your diabetes.
6. Seek early treatment if you experience chronic cough for two weeks, night sweats, unexplained weight loss or other symptoms that you’re unsure of.
Run for your lungs
In conjunction with the conference, the Malaysian Association For The Prevention Of Tuberculosis and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease are organising a run on Sunday at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur. Details at www.maptb.org.my
Lung awareness month
Important lung health awareness events take place round the globe this month.
1. World Pneumonia Day (Saturday) Details at www.worldpneumonia.org
2. World COPD Day (Nov 14). Details at www.goldcopd.org
Health conference
Kuala Lumpur will be hosting the 43rd Union World Conference on Lung Health organised by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from Nov 13 to 17.
The five-day scientific programme, themed Driving Sustainability Through Mutual Responsibility, is expected to gather more than 3,000 lung health experts and advocates from 65 countries to discuss issues such as the rising incidence of drug-resistant tuberculosis, the increase in COPD, and the pandemic of diseases caused by tobacco use, among others. For details, visit www.theunion.org
http://www.nst.com.my/life-times/health/breathe-it-s-your-lungs-at-stake-1.166986
