In her statement, Prof. Dr. Sevin Başer Öncel said: “Asthma is a chronic lung disease that occurs due to non-microbial inflammation in the airways, leading to narrowing of the airway walls. The most common symptoms include recurrent attacks of shortness of breath, wheezing or a whistling sound during breathing, chest tightness, and cough. Asthma is a multifactorial respiratory disease with a strong genetic background. However, genetic predisposition alone is not decisive; environmental factors also play a key role in disease development. While having asthmatic parents increases the risk in children, asthma can also occur in individuals without genetic predisposition. Occupations that increase asthma risk or trigger existing asthma are generally those involving exposure to dust, chemicals, gases, and smoke. High-risk groups include workers exposed to cleaning agents, detergents and disinfectants, hairdressers, bakers, painters, furniture industry workers, and especially textile workers. According to World Health Organization data, approximately 350 million people worldwide suffer from asthma. More than 400,000 people die each year due to asthma-related causes. In Türkiye, asthma is seen in one out of every ten children, with the rate decreasing with age. It is known that more than 1,300 deaths occurred due to asthma in 2024. These data clearly show that asthma is a significant public health problem.”

Prof. Dr. Sevin Başer Öncel added: “Asthma can be controlled; with proper treatment and regular medication use, a healthy life is possible.”

Emphasizing that there is currently no definitive cure for asthma, she noted that the main goal of treatment is to control the disease and enable patients to maintain a life as close to normal as possible. She stated that with appropriate medication and avoidance of triggers, symptoms can be largely controlled, and continued: “Regular and correct medication use is vital. In asthma treatment, inhalation drugs—commonly known as ‘puffers’—and diskus-type inhalers are widely used. Since these medications are delivered directly to the airways through inhalation, they are effective at lower doses and have fewer side effects. However, incorrect use of these devices prevents the medication from reaching the lungs adequately, reducing treatment effectiveness. Therefore, regular evaluation of patients’ inhaler techniques is extremely important.”