The National Asthma Council currently estimates that more than two million Australians suffer from asthma, one of the most common respiratory diseases. The most recent Australian figures indicate that one in every five adults (19.2%) have been diagnosed with asthma, with most diagnosed before the age of 15 years (17.8%).
It is estimated that Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) affects 1.2 million Australians currently with symptoms already affecting daily life. In addition, around 900,000 people have a mild form of COPD where symptoms are often ignored or mistaken for ageing or even asthma. Many of these will later develop more severe forms of COPD if appropriate action is not taken.
At the same time, other respiratory diseases like allergic rhinitis (hay fever), common during the spring months, affect up to one in four people in Australia and New Zealand.
AstraZeneca Australia is committed to improving the health and quality of life of Australians by providing a full range of innovative products and partnering with physicians and General Practitioners to treat asthma, COPD and allergic rhinitis. Our research program continues to focus on the development of new drugs for the treatment of respiratory diseases and innovative systems for direct drug delivery to the airways.
The Turbuhaler device, an inspiratory flow-driven, multi-dose dry-powder inhaler is a key feature in our respiratory portfolio. For more information on how to use the Turbuhaler, please refer to the guide provided by the National Asthma Council here.
A dedicated consultation with your Physician or General Practitioner is the best way of making sure your respiratory health is well managed today.