Asthma deaths in Scotland highest for more than a decade

Asthma death rates in Scotland are at their highest for more than a decade, new figures released today (August 10) reveal. They also show women to be twice as likely to die from an asthma attack than men in Scotland.

The figures released by the National Records of Scotland reveal that a total of 122 people in Scotland died from an asthma attack last year, the highest number of deaths since 2002*, with 35 men and 87 women dying from asthma attacks.

In Scotland, 368,000 people (1 in 14) are currently receiving treatment for asthma. This includes 72,000 children and 296,000 adults.

According to Asthma UK’s own Annual Asthma Care Survey 2015**, seven out of 10 people in the UK with asthma aren’t receiving care that meets the most basic clinical standards proven to work, including written asthma action plans, annual asthma reviews and inhaler technique checks.

Kay Boycott, Chief Executive at Asthma UK, said: “These figures are alarming, showing the biggest increase in asthma deaths in Scotland in 14 years. However the National Review of Asthma Deaths (2014) showed two thirds of asthma deaths in the UK are preventable with better basic care, so it is critical the Scottish government takes rapid action to ensure effective care is in place to prevent more people dying unnecessarily from asthma attacks in the future.

“Every 10 seconds someone has a potentially life-threatening asthma attack. This is why it’s so vital that people with asthma have regular asthma reviews with their GP or asthma nurse and take their asthma medication as prescribed. Anyone with asthma in Scotland who doesn’t yet have an asthma action plan should download one now from the Asthma UK website. Only 35% of people with asthma have a written asthma action plan, despite the fact that not having one means you are four times more likely to end up in hospital with an asthma attack.”

Asthma UK has issued the following five tips for people with asthma in Scotland to help them reduce their risk of having an asthma attack:

• Take your medicines regularly, as prescribed
• Follow a written asthma action plan this cuts your risk of ending up in hospital with asthma by four times
• Have regular asthma reviews with your GP or asthma nurse
• Check with your GP or asthma nurse that you're using your inhaler correctly
• Avoid the things that trigger your asthma where possible.

For further information visit: www.asthma.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/scotland or call the Asthma UK Helpline on 0300 222 5800 to speak to an expert asthma nurse.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Download an action plan from the Asthma UK website: www.asthma.org.uk/advice/manage-your-asthma/action-plan

For more information please contact the Asthma UK media team on mediaoffice@asthma.org.uk, 020 7786 4949 (during office hours) or 07951 721393 (outside of office hours).

* Asthma deaths in Scotland (both children and adults) since 2000:

* www.asthma.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/publications/national-review-of-asthma-deaths

** www.asthma.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/publications/survey

About Asthma UK

• Asthma UK’s mission is to stop asthma attacks and cure asthma. We do this by funding world leading research, campaigning for improved care and supporting people to reduce their risk of a potentially life threatening asthma attack.
• Asthma UK is solely funded by public donations
• The Asthma UK Helpline is open weekdays from 9am to 5pm on 0300 222 5800.
• For more information about asthma please visit www.asthma.org.uk

Background information on asthma

• In the UK, 5.4 million people are currently receiving treatment for asthma: 1.1 million children (1 in 11) and 4.3 million adults (1 in 12).

• The UK has one of the highest prevalence rates for asthma in Europe, according to the ERS Whitebook.
• Three people die every day because of asthma; based on mortality data from Office for National Statistics (ONS) for England & Wales, General Register Office for Scotland, and Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency (Northern Ireland). 1255 people died from asthma in 2013 – divided by 365, this works out as 3.4 people per day.
• Tragically, the National Review of Asthma Deaths found that two thirds of asthma deaths are preventable with good, basic care.
• 7 out of 10 people with asthma do not receive care that meets the most basic clinical standards.

• The UK has some of the highest asthma death rates in Western Europe according to the Death rates (all ages) for OECD nations and the World Health Organisation