Experts offer people with severe bronchial asthma a new approach: bronchial thermoplasty, as a revolutionary and long-term means of relieving the condition.
An estimated twenty-five million people in the United States suffer from asthma. For some patients, this condition can significantly affect the quality of life and in some cases be a deadly threat. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, approximately 44,000 asthma attacks, 4,700 emergency room visits, 1,200 hospital admissions, and nine deaths occur every day in America. Bronchial thermoplasty is not a cure—it is a safe, outpatient procedure that uses moderate heat. to actually reduce the amount of excess smooth muscle tissue in the airways, helping to reduce the narrowing of the airways during an asthma attack. Patients can breathe more easily – and are less likely to have an attack. Unlike daily medications, this procedure continues to work for years, being an adjunctive therapy to current medications and providing long-term benefits for patients, including reduced asthma attacks, fewer emergency room visits, and improved quality of care. life. In a clinical study of patients with severe asthma, 79% of participants who underwent this procedure noted a significant improvement in their quality of life. In addition, they have a 32% reduction in severe attacks, 84% fewer emergency room visits related to asthma, and 66% fewer days lost from work or school due to illness.