New patient survey highlights need for more action to help severe asthma patients gain control of their disease

Results of a new survey of 904 severe asthma patients were presented today for the first time at the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Congress.

Sponsored by Swiss pharma giant Novartis (NOVN: VX), data from the 'Still Fighting for Breath' survey demonstrate that, despite the widespread availability of oral and inhaled treatments, asthma still places a huge burden on the personal and professional lives of those living with the disease in Europe.

The new survey revealed that high levels of uncontrolled disease still exist amongst adults and children with severe asthma. Asthma attacks (also known as exacerbations) were reported to be extremely common. Nearly three quarters (74%) of patients surveyed experienced an attack serious enough to have required treatment from a healthcare professional in the emergency room, ambulance or at home. Furthermore, almost a third (32%) of patients experienced three or more exacerbations during this time period. While a majority of patients (54%) experiencing an exacerbation physically recovered after treatment within 24 hours, these patients often remained psychologically affected for a prolonged period of time after the exacerbation, with almost a fifth of them (19%) reporting effects persisting over a week.