The Vietnam Respiratory Society and AstraZeneca Vietnam recently organized a scientific conference on the theme "A New Era in the Treatment of Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)" to update medical advancements and share practical clinical knowledge on effective prevention, management, and treatment solutions for chronic respiratory diseases in the Southeast Asian country.
At the conference, experts stated that for decades, chronic respiratory diseases have remained a "time bomb," silently eroding patients' health and placing significant pressure on the healthcare system. Globally, COPD creates enormous medical and economic pressures, affecting 390 million people and claiming the lives of over 3 million each year.
In Vietnam alone, COPD is currently the third leading cause of death, with over 25,000 deaths annually, exceeding deaths from traffic accidents. Alarmingly, approximately 65 percent-80 percent of COPD patients in the community remain undiagnosed, causing them to miss the "golden window" for early intervention and prevention of irreversible lung damage.
In this epidemiological context, COPD exacerbations are not merely temporary respiratory depression but are actually life-threatening events. Clinical data reveals a worrying reality that about 50 percent of patients survive only 3.6 years after their first severe exacerbation. This means that COPD exacerbations carry a poor prognosis equivalent to, or even worse than, some common cancers.
Regarding asthma, a common chronic respiratory disease in Vietnam, with a prevalence of about 4.1 percent of the population, the rate of patients with uncontrolled asthma remains high in Vietnam, as well as in many Asian countries, leading to an increase in hospitalizations and emergency room visits due to exacerbations. This burden not only affects respiratory function but also causes significant socio-economic losses. Notably, the group of patients with severe asthma, although accounting for a small percentage, has a 10 times higher risk of hospitalization and consumes up to 60 percent of economic resources.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Van Ngoc, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Respiratory Society, both asthma and COPD are closely related to environmental issues. In particular, COPD is closely linked to tobacco use, with approximately 90 percent of cases related to smoking. Therefore, minimizing the harm of tobacco is the most important solution to reduce the burden of COPD. In addition, a screening program is needed to detect COPD early. The earlier it is detected, the more effective the treatment. Like asthma, treatment needs to be maintained long-term.
Asthma and COPD are chronic diseases requiring lifelong treatment, similar to hypertension, high cholesterol, or diabetes. However, for asthma, due to effective treatment, many patients mistakenly believe they are cured, leading to a treatment abandonment rate of up to 60 percent-70 percent. “Continuous treatment is necessary to reduce exacerbations and slow disease progression. In addition, it is important to prevent exacerbations by identifying and avoiding risk factors such as air pollution, cigarette smoke, and other triggers,” Associate Professor, Doctor Tran Van Ngoc explained.
